Sight Unseen
by SylverAngel
Summary: When Kagome is blinded by the venomous vapors of a serpent youkai, she and the others find out just how much they rely on her sense of sight. After all, what good is a shikon detector, that can't see the shards? Chp 34 up 111305
1. Blinded By the Light

Like everyone else here: I don't own Inuyasha, nor do I claim any rights to it.  
  
This is my first attempt at fanfiction involving characters other than my own, so bear with me. Reading all the great fanfics on ff.net for my new obsession, Inuyasha, inspired me to try my own hand. I hope you like it! This is going to be at least a few chapters, but I'm not sure yet how many. Feel free to review :) (Also, I don't own the song "Blinded by the Light" for which I snitched the title of this chapter.)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 1: Blinded by the Light  
  
  
  
"Kagome? Kagome wake up!"   
  
"Hmm... Just five more minutes," Kagome mumbled in response to the persistant voice, snuggling further into her sleeping bag.   
  
"Hey, if she gets to sleep in, then so do I." The high-pitched declaration was followed by someone trying to burrow under the covers next to her.   
  
"I suggest that both of you get out of the bedroll if you wish to see it still in one piece," a deeper voice chuckled before adding, "Someone's a little impatient this morning."  
  
"Not that that's unusual," Kagome murmured in response while slowly starting to stretch.   
  
"Keh," she heard from yet another direction.   
  
"It's morning already? C'mon Shippo, get back out of there," the girl added, shoving at the lump she encountered inside her sleeping bag. Pushing herself up into a sitting position, she rubbed her eyes and yawned.   
  
Apparently her eyelids had decided they were too heavy to lift this morning. She rubbed her eyes again, then tried again to open her eyes, ready to squint at the rays of the sun.   
  
Kagome thought she'd succeeded, but it seemed as if the darkness had just gotten brighter. Frowning slightly, she blinked, hoping this was just one of those days when she had to clear the sleep away before everything came into focus.  
  
Nothing. Things were slightly brighter, but she could see... nothing. No shapes, no faces, not even her own hands in front of her. Just... what appeared to be a blank white wall that got darker every-so-often. She could feel her eyelids moving-- they were open when things were the brightest.  
  
"Kagome? Are you all right?" she heard Sango ask.  
  
The covers beside her shifted, and Shippo's voice piped up as well. "Kagome?" He tugged on the sleeve of her shirt.  
  
"Oi, wench, get up. You and the brat are holding us up. We need to get going."  
  
"Inuyasha, I don't think... Kagome, what's wrong?" Sango crouched beside the other girl, ignoring the hanyou's scowl as he turned towards them.   
  
"I... I can't...."  
  
A small hand patted her cheek. "Kagome, what's wrong with your eyes?" Shippo asked worriedly, seeing the faint film that seemed to dull the usual gray-blue of the girl's gaze.  
  
"I can't see."   
  
The frightened near-whisper was greeted by silence from the rest of the group.  
  
Inuyasha was the first to speak. "What do you mean you can't see?" he asked indignantly.  
  
Kagome's eyes had started to tear. She quickly wiped at the drops before they could fall.   
  
"No, don't wipe them away," she heard Miroku say from somewhere beside her. "They might help clear your eyes..."  
  
Kagome hoped the monk would be right. She pressed her eyes tightly closed, then slowly opened them. Her shoulders fell dejectedly as she realized it hadn't worked.  
  
"We need to get you to Kaede. She'll know what to do." Sango reached out a hand and laid it on Kagome's arm.  
  
Inuyasha crouched down beside the others, investigating the situation for himself. He peered into the girl's eyes, noting the blank look under the fear, as if she was focusing on nothing. "It was that damn serpent yesterday, wasn't it," he growled. "After I told you to stay behind me."  
  
"I had to locate the shard, Inuyasha! What else did you expect me to do?" Kagome cried out in frustration. "I did stay behind you. But I had to look at it to tell you where the shard was. After all, that's what we were after, wasn't it?"  
  
The half-dog demon was silent for a moment, then finally gritted out, "You could've waited until after the air had a chance to clear."  
  
Kagome had turned toward Inuyasha, and he could almost believe she was seeing him as anger replaced the fear in her gaze. Her hands were clenched in her lap. "How was I to know the gas it released would blind me? It made my eyes water at the time, and things were fuzzy for a while afterwards, but I didn't think anything of it."  
  
"Didn't think--"  
  
A hand on his arm stopped the hanyou's tirade. "Perhaps this... conversation can be continued later? After we get Kagome back to Lady Kaede?"  
  
"Keh," Inuyasha responded, folding his arms over his chest. "Let's get going then." He rose and stood waiting for the others to move as well.  
  
"Here, Kagome, let me help you up." Sango helped the younger girl out of the sleeping bag and then steadied her as she got to her feet. "You can ride with me on Kirara," she murmured as the others finished gathering their supplies. At the worried look Kagome gave her, the youkai exterminator squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Everything will be fine."  
  
Kagome nodded slightly in response. 'I hope you're right,' she thought. 


	2. One Day Down

Wow... thanks all those who reviewed my first chapter :) Here's the second one. I can't promise that all of them will be added within a day, but I will get 'em up as soon as I get them written. I hope you like this one just the same :)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 2: One Day Down...  
  
  
"How did this happen?" Kaede asked, gently holding one of Kagome's eyes open. She tilted the girl's head slightly to let the firelight glare off the film covering her eye.   
  
"The stupid wench didn't listen when I said--"  
  
"Inuyasha, you're not helping," Sango interrupted, glaring at the hanyou.   
  
"Keh," he snorted.  
  
"The serpent demon we were fighting yesterday spat some sort of gas at us. We," Sango continued, indicating herself and Miroku, "were not in its direct path, but Inuyasha and Kagome were."  
  
"I told her to stay behind me," Inuyasha growled, sulking against the wall.  
  
"I did stay behind him," Kagome put in before he could say more. "I ducked and closed my eyes when the gas came our way, but I had to look again to find the Shikon shard. I thought I had waited long enough for the wind to blow away the gas, but I guess I didn't."  
  
"How long have you been unable to see?" the old priestess asked.  
  
"Only since I woke up this morning."  
  
"Did you notice anything yesterday?"  
  
"My eyes did burn a little when I looked up for the shard. They were a little blurry too. But I was able to blink it away every time they got worse."  
  
Kaede tilted Kagome's head to inspect the other eye, nodding to herself. "And now that does not help?"  
  
"No. No matter what I try, I... can't see anything. Except for slight brightness when my eyes are open, and dark when they're closed."  
  
Everyone was silent as Kaede stood and started looking through her herbs.  
  
Shippo crawled into Kagome's lap and she absently patted his head. "Is Kagome going to be okay?" the young kitsune asked worriedly.  
  
"I'm going to be fine, Shippo." The girl tilted her head down and smiled as reassuringly as she could.  
  
Kaede finally found the jar she was looking for and grabbed a bowl which she filled with water. She put a pinch from the jar in the water, and then set it down beside her. "We have to try to dissolve the poison in your eyes, Kagome. Unfortunately, I can not promise this remedy will work."  
  
Kagome nodded. "I understand. Do you think... this could be permanent?" she asked quietly.  
  
"I do not know. We can only hope for the best," the old priestess replied gravely. "There is a chance that too much damage has been done already."  
  
"Many serpent-youkai like the one we fought use gas or poison of some sort to blind or paralyze their enemies," Sango informed them. "Just like snakes. It's usually only temporary-- long enough for the serpent to run or kill," she added, trying to lighten the atmosphere by sounding optimistic.  
  
Kaede nodded, dipping a strip of cloth in the bowl she'd prepared earlier. "This needs to set for awhile to sink into the poison, Kagome. I suggest you get ready for the night before we try it."  
  
The girl nodded, then made to stand. The hand she'd placed on the floor was covered by a warm... clawed one.   
  
"Stay, Kagome. I'll get your bedroll."  
  
Kagome blinked, the surprise showing on her face.  
  
"Keh. I need you better so you can find more shards," Inuyasha muttered.   
  
She could still hear the slight note of worry in his tone and hid a small smile by ducking her head. She knew his excuses were becoming more and more just for show, though he'd deny it if confronted.  
  
There was a quiet shuffling behind her, and the sound of the zipper scraping on the wood floor of the hut. She could tell the others were getting ready to rest for the night well.   
  
"There," Inuyasha grumbled, indicating the sleeping bag was laid out behind her.  
  
"Thank you, Inuyasha," Kagome responded, deliberately bright as she sent him a smile over her shoulder.  
  
He just snorted his usual response and settled back against the wall by the doorway.  
  
Shippo moved out of Kagome's lap so she could shift onto the sleeping bag and lay down.  
  
"You need to keep your eyes closed, Kagome. The fumes from the herbs might burn a bit, so it is best if you not remove the cloth, to keep them from bothering you too much," Kaede informed her.  
  
The girl nodded and closed her eyes obediently. The wet cloth was placed over her eyes, making things seem darker than they had.  
  
A few drops from the cloth managed to seep under her eyelids. As Kaede had said, they did burn a bit.   
  
"No, do not touch it," the old priestess scolded, stopping her instinctive reaching to rub her eyes and stop the smarting. "The tears will help flush away the poison and the medicine. The burning will fade."  
  
Kagome folded her hands tightly over her stomach. The burning was already fading to a slight itch. Shippo crawled onto her stomach and rested his own hand on hers. She smiled slightly in response and forced herself to relax.  
  
"Leave the cloth there until the morning. That will give it the longest time possible to work."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Kaede shuffled towards her own blankets and lay down.  
  
"Good night, Kagome," Shippo murmured after settling himself down, using her hands as a pillow.  
  
"'Night, Shippo. Sweet dreams," she replied. Hopefully, she'd get some sleep, though she doubted it.  
  
Inuyasha waited until everyone else appeared to be asleep before leaving the hut in favor of his favorite tree. 


	3. Hoping for a Miracle

Hmm... ran out of skittles. Oh well. Here's the next chapter. The next few might be a bit slower-- depends on how much my homework intrudes on my writing time. Enjoy!  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 3: Hoping for a Miracle  
  
  
Kagome jerked awake at the light touch to her face.  
  
"Relax, child. 'Tis only me," Kaede said quietly. As she removed the cloth covering Kagome's eyes, the girl took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. "'Tis just barely past dawn, but I thought you might want to find out before anyone else wakes."  
  
Kagome nodded, biting her lip nervously. "Thank you."  
  
"Do not try yet. I need to clean the last of the herb residue from your eyes first."  
  
"Okay." Prolonging the event just seemed to make her more nervous. Her stomach was already tying itself into knots. She waited as the old priestess gently passed another damp cloth across her face.  
  
For the better part of the night, Kagome had lain awake, wishing she would wake up and find it was all a dream. She'd resisted the urge to pinch herself many times, willing her mind to quiet and let her sleep. The waiting had been driving her crazy, along with the endless questions plaguing her mind. Was this really going to work? Would she get all of her sight back if it did, or only part of it? Would it work on only one eye and not the other? What would she do if it didn't work?  
  
She couldn't go home-- there would be too many questions from her family. She'd most likely never be allowed to go through the well again. Not that that would stop her from trying. She had unfinished business here-- she was the one who had technically broken the Shikon no Tama, so she needed to stay and help find all the pieces. Besides that, she couldn't just leave the friends she'd made in this time and never look back. Not to mention that she'd most likely put her family in danger if she stayed there before they found all the shards-- time had already proven that demons existed in her time.  
  
Could she stay here, though? She would to have to learn how to get around without the use of her eyes, which would be a feat in and of itself. Especially when they were off looking for shards. She could just stay and help Kaede in the village... but she was needed to find the Shikon shards. She was the only one who could actually see them. And now... she couldn't even do that. What good would she be if she couldn't help locate the shards? That's all they really needed her for, wasn't it?  
  
Shaking her head, Kagome pushed the thoughts away. She needed to think positively right now.  
  
"I am finished." Kaede slowly shuffled to her feet, then moved away. Somehow, she knew the simple remedy had not been good enough, though one tiny part of her still hoped her intuition was wrong.  
  
Kagome felt around until she found Shippo lying at her side. She slowly sat up, so as not to wake the little fox demon. Squaring her shoulders back, she took another deep breath and let it out. 'Well, it's now or never,' she thought.   
  
Her hopes died as soon as she opened her eyes. She still couldn't see anything-- no rays of light shining through the mat that served as the hut's door, no sleeping faces of her friends that she knew still rested inside, no dying embers from the fire of the night before. Nothing had changed. She tried to muffle the sobs she felt rising in her throat.  
  
"Kagome?" a sleepy Shippo asked as he shifted beside her.  
  
She shook her head in denial, refusing to believe it. "No," she whispered. "No, this isn't happening."  
  
"Kagome? Kagome, please don't cry..." The kitsune hugged her side, trying to comfort her as much as he was able.  
  
"No... No, no, no, NO!" Kagome pushed to her feet and manage to stagger out of the hut before tripping. She caught herself on her hands and knees, fingers digging hard into the dirt.   
  
"Kagome?" Sango called worriedly from the doorway of the hut. The girl's cries had woken every one else. The demon exterminator rushed outside and gathered the sobbing girl into her arms. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I'm sorry."  
  
Shippo and Miroku silently filed out as well. The kitsune clung tightly to the monk's robes, his own eyes watering. He'd never seen Kagome break down like that. It broke his little heart to see her in so much pain. But what could he, just a little fox demon, do to make things all better?   
  
He looked up at Miroku, noting the grim set to the monk's usual cheerful face. Slowly, Shippo let go of the purple robes clenched tightly in his hands, and took a tentative step towards Kagome and Sango. He bit his lip and took a few more steps, until he was close enough to touch Kagome's leg. He laid one hand down on her skirt, waiting to see if she would notice. She sniffled a little, to try and stop the crying as turned from Sango's shoulder.  
  
Taking this as his cue, Shippo climbed up to Kagome's shoulder, using a gentle hand to turn her face. There was one thing he could do. Something she'd done for him many times when he was hurt. He knew it didn't really help, but it always made him feel better. The kitsune wiped the tears away from her cheeks, then leaned over and gently kissed each of her eyelids.  
  
Kagome tried to smile at his gesture, but could only sob harder. She took Shippo from her shoulder and hugged him in thanks.  
  
  
  
Inuyasha slammed his fist into the nearest tree. He'd heard Kagome from his perch and had rushed to return to Kaede's hut. His ears hadn't been deceiving him, as he'd first hoped-- she wasn't laughing, she was crying, sobbing as if the world was going to end. And he couldn't do a damn thing about it. 


	4. Come Back to Me

It's here It's here It's here! My copy of the Inuyasha movie is finally here! Anyhow... now that I can dance around in glee... So can you, because another chapter's out! And I didn't realize the others seemed so short until I looked at them in IE...   
  
I hope I didn't scare anyone off with that last chapter... that wasn't the end... far from it. ::Evil grin:: Sorry to those of you who want this over quickly... I've got plans. :)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 4: Come Back to Me  
  
  
"Kagome? I brought you some of the fish that Inuyasha caught. It's really good."  
  
'... not hungry...'  
  
"Kagome, let's go outside. It's such a nice day!"  
  
'... can't see it... can't enjoy it...'  
  
"Come on, Kagome, let's go try out the walking stick Shippo found for  
you."  
  
'... can't walk without tripping over my own feet when I can't see them...'  
  
"Do you want to go bathe, Kagome?"  
  
'... I want to be left alone...'  
  
"Kagome, did you sleep at all last night?"  
  
'... no night, no day... just neverending darkness...'  
  
"Oi, wench, snap out of it. I can't even hear myself think with the brat chattering nonstop in my ears."  
  
"Hey, I heard that! Kagome, he's been beating me up all day. Make him stop!"  
  
"Come back here, you little..."  
  
'... alone...'  
  
"You need to eat, child. Things will work out in the end."  
  
'... end... nothing left...'  
  
"I'll be right here if you need me, Kagome. Right here in your lap, okay? And I'm going to stay up all night with you and keep you company. Do you know what we did today? We--"  
  
"Shippo, hush. The rest of us are trying to sleep."  
  
"But I'm talking to Kagome."  
  
"Shippo, 'tis time for sleep, not conversation. She will talk with you tomorrow."  
  
"Fine, but I get to talk to her first! As soon as I wake up. Nobody else gets--"  
  
"Shippo!"  
  
"Fine.... 'Night, K'g'me..."  
  
'...'  
  
"Wench, if you don't snap out of it, I'm taking the Shikon shards and going to find the rest on my own."  
  
"Oi, I really will. Then I'm going to use them to become a full demon."  
  
"I think I'm going to go find Kouga. And then I'm going to beat that wimpy wolf so hard he won't know which way is up by morning."  
  
"Or would you rather I go find Sesshoumaru? He's always up for a fight."  
  
"I can't believe you're not going to 'sit' me for that. Okay, if that's the case, then I'm not letting you go home ever again. You're staying here until we find all the pieces of the Shikon no Tama."  
  
"Do I have to say please? Please 'sit' me?"  
  
"Keh. Probably never thought you'd hear that."  
  
"Kagome..."  
  
"Kagome, can you hear me?"  
  
"Kagome... where are you?... The others... we... I need you to come back from wherever you are... I feel so damn helpless... I hate it. I can't do anything... This isn't like saving you from all the demons you seem to attract... How am I supposed to save you... from yourself?"  
  
"Come back to me, Kagome."  
  
  
  
"Kagome, we're leaving this afternoon. There's rumor of a shard somewhere south of here."  
  
Kagome grumbled, then stretched a bit, turning over on her sleeping bag to go back to sleep. "What?" she asked, her voice creaking as if she hadn't used it in days-- which she hadn't.   
  
After she'd finally cried herself to sleep, the rest had settled down to figure out how they were going to continue their quest with this latest development. Unbeknownst to them, Kagome had woken up sometime during their at-times heated conversation. Hearing them outlining the problem, and posing all sorts of questions of their own had brought all the thoughts she'd been pushing away to the front of her mind. When the others finally fell asleep, Kagome's mind continued to torture her. She was unable to escape once she herself fell asleep once more-- her dreams were full of nightmare scenarios, the familiar faces of her friends turning mocking, echoing her fears.  
  
The others had tried everything to get her to respond over the past couple of days, to no avail. They couldn't figure out what had pushed her into the trance-like state, and were afraid it was some side effect from either the serpent's poison, or from Kaede's herb treatment. The old priestess assured them it was not-- Kagome was physically fine. Most likely, she was trapped in her own mind, fighting off some inner demons. It was common for such trauma.  
  
Kagome was, on some level, conscious of what was going on around her. She heard the others talking to her, asking her questions, but she never answered out loud-- it was as if she was looking down on herself as some sort of spectator, pitying the poor, useless girl left sitting in the hut alone. She wasn't aware of the passage of time, and never moved from her spot against the wall.  
  
She vaguely remembered Inuyasha sitting next to her the night before, when everything else was quiet. Had she really heard some of the things she thought he said? The last-- 'Come back to me'... Had he really said that? His voice had been so soft, as if he was afraid the others would hear him as he spoke to her. He had been holding her hand for at least part of the time, as well. It was the last thing she'd been aware of before drifting off into a more peaceful sleep.  
  
"What? We what?" she asked again, sitting up abruptly as what he said began to sink in.  
  
The hanyou was fairly surprised at actually hearing her speak to him after two days of silence. He'd stayed with her most of the night, after getting the first reaction out of her that any of them had noticed-- she'd squeezed his hand slightly before her eyes closed. He'd then alternated between holding her hand and stroking her hair soothingly. It seemed to help-- she'd appeared to be sleeping normally, with none of the nightmares that caused her to whimper and cry out the night before. The actions calmed him as well, helping ease his own troubled thoughts. He'd left shortly before dawn-- before the others awakened.  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
He watched her eyebrows lower further in confusion as he took such a long time to respond. His voice came out slightly more gruffly than he'd intended. "We're going shard-hunting this afternoon, Kagome. There are rumors--"  
  
"I heard you," she interrupted, before falling silent. Her next question was quiet, tentative, as if she was afraid to say anything. "You... still want me to... come with you? When I'm..." she trailed off, unable to finish the thought.  
  
The question startled him. Was that why...? Did she really think they thought so little of her? That they'd leave her behind because of a slight-- maybe not-so-slight-- handicap? Her skill was the one they needed the most, if they were going to find the pieces of the Shikon no Tama in the first place. "Of course, idiot. You are the only one who can sense the Shikon shards."  
  
Kagome tried to stop the tears she felt welling in her eyes, but a few escaped. She quickly wiped them away, hoping he wouldn't notice.  
  
"Oi, Kagome, don't cry..."  
  
A small smile flitted across her lips. "I'm not." They still needed her, still wanted her to come with them. Even though she'd most likely only get in the way, or get kidnapped, or hurt, or...  
  
"Yes, you are."  
  
"No, I'm not."  
  
"Yes, you are."  
  
"Am not."  
  
"Are too."  
  
"Inuyasha, I'm not," she reiterated, knowing the argument was silly, but still insisting on trying for the last word.  
  
"Ka-gome, yes, you are," he responded in a perfect imitation of the voice she'd used. He grinned to himself, since she couldn't see it. He'd trade her arguing with him for the silence of before any day. He waited a moment, just watching her, before mock-growling, "Now, wench, the others are waiting outside. Do I have to drag you out of here, or are you going come out on your own?"  
  
She bit her lip, then held up a hand. "Could you... ah... help me up? My legs feel cramped, like I haven't moved for--"  
  
"Two days," he muttered, taking her hand to help her to her feet. Two days in which he hadn't known what to do to get her to snap out of the depression she'd fallen into. Two days in which he'd been willing to do anything, tell her anything to get her to at least talk to him.  
  
"Two--?" In her surprise at his statement, she was caught off guard, and was propelled on unsteady feet in the direction he'd pulled from. She threw out her free hand to stop herself, and ended up half-in, half-out of the doorway of the hut, the mat resting awkwardly on top of her. She righted herself as it was pushed out of the way, only to be greeted by a squealed "Kagome!" and something, or rather someone, barreling into her stomach. Instinctively, she clutched the kitsune to her, glad that she'd been leaning against the wall.  
  
"Kagome! You're all better!" Shippo snuggled against her shirt, and so missed the wince that crossed the girl's face.  
  
"Almost, Shippo. Almost," she replied sadly, stroking his head.  
  
She heard a soft jingling that stopped off to her right, signaling Miroku's arrival at the hut. "I see Inuyasha has been busy while we were off gathering supplies," he grinned at the hanyou, who stood leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the doorway from Kagome.  
  
"Watch it, monk," Inuyasha growled threateningly. Before he could whack Miroku upside the head, Sango beat him to it.  
  
"Pervert!"  
  
"I did not mean anything by it!" Miroku cried, rubbing his head. "I just meant that whatever he did- er said- broke Kagome from her meditation." The slip earned him another fist to the head, but this one not as hard as the first. "Why is it that I am so misunderstood?" he sighed dejectedly.  
  
"Hah," Sango snorted in response.  
  
Kagome giggled a bit. Everything was normal. Or as normal as it could get under the circumstances.  
  
"Kagome, I'm glad you're... feeling better today," Sango told her friend. "We were worried about you. Even Inuyasha," she teased softly.  
  
"Keh," the half-dog demon snorted in response. "I need her to find the shards," he added defensively.  
  
Kagome could picture him, arms folded over his chest and nose in the air-- his trademark pose. She sighed, knowing it would be a while before she ever saw him do that again, if she ever did.   
  
Shippo could sense the change in the tightness of her arms and patted her arm reassuringly.   
  
Kagome smiled down at him, then mentally shook herself. "So, what's the story on this new shard?" 


	5. Windwalker

Once again, I don't own Inuyasha.  
  
Sorry I didn't get this out sooner, but I was out of town for the weekend. Did no one like chapter 4? I admit I wasn't truly happy with it, but I didn't think it ended up all that bad...  
  
The first bit of this I just pictured in my head, and found it funny, even if the scene is a bit short.  
  
Anyway, here's chapter 5! Enjoy. :)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 5: Windwalker  
  
  
"Stick... rock... 'nother stick....  
  
"Shippo?"  
  
"Tree root... rock...."  
  
"Shippo, what are you doing?"  
  
The kitsune didn't seem to hear Miroku's question as he continued to watch the ground, eyes darting back and forth across the path.  
  
"Stick... rock... bigger rock... Inuyasha's foot... Oof!"  
  
"Oi, brat, what the hell are you doing?"  
  
"I'm helping Kagome," Shippo replied, picking himself up and putting his hands on his hips. "I'm telling her what's in the way so she doesn't trip."  
  
"Um, Shippo, I think, when I asked you to do that earlier, that I meant to warn me about the big stuff in the way." Kagome bit her lip, trying not to laugh and hurt the little kitsune's feelings. "Thank you for telling me about those things, though."  
  
"Oh. Okay. Well... what's big enough to let you know about, Kagome?"  
  
Inuyasha just shook his head as he turned around to continue walking.  
  
"I don't know... The bigger rocks and tree stumps and big branches, not just the little twigs."  
  
Shippo looked around, not finding any of said "big" things close enough for him to worry about, shrugged, and then scurried on after the others that had moved on without him.  
  
  
  
"Kagome, are you all right?" Sango hurried to the girl's side after she'd fallen for the umpteenth time.  
  
"I'm fine. I just need to sit here a minute. I twisted my ankle a bit on whatever I tripped over."  
  
"Here, let me look at it," the demon exterminator insisted, moving Kagome's hands out of the way. "It might be bruised, but I think it'll be fine to walk on it."  
  
Shippo suddenly looked up into the trees nervously. "Did you hear that?"  
  
"Hear what?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Something's up there..." the kitsune replied, shrinking against her side and clinging to her shirt.  
  
Inuyasha was already eyeing the trees around them, searching for the origins of the unfamiliar scent that wafted down to him from the treetops above. "Wait..." the hanyou muttered before suddenly leaping into a tree behind the group.  
  
The others heard rustling, and a few grunts from Inuyasha, before something fell to the path a ways in front of them. The figure was back up in a snap, crouching, full pale gray-feathered wings spread out behind it.  
  
Inuyasha had jumped back down to stand between his companions and the demon, Tetsusaiga drawn and held in front of him menacingly.  
  
The creature appeared to resemble a humanoid male, with long blonde hair tied just behind the neck and pale blue eyes. He wore a light blue sleeveless robe that fell to the knees and belted at the waist. Aside from his slightly pointed youkai ears and the wings flaring from his back, he could almost pass for a human in the villages.  
  
Sango eyed the creature warily as she quickly stood and removed Hiraikotsu from its place at her back. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she realized just what the creature was.  
  
"What, Sango? What's going on?" Kagome asked, frowning in confusion. She knew something was amiss, and was growing more frustrated at the fact that she couldn't see what was going on.  
  
"A windwalker," Sango muttered in a slightly reverent tone.  
  
"A what?"  
  
"A windwalker. I've never seen one, though I've heard a lot about them. They're bird youkai, but they look like humans with wings."  
  
The youkai smiled at Sango, then slowly rose to his feet. "So you know of us. My lady will be pleased." He spoke to her, though he kept his gaze on Inuyasha.  
  
Inuyasha bared his teeth. "What is it you want, youkai?"  
  
"I am merely a messenger, following my lady's orders."  
  
"He has no shards," Kagome told the others, sensing no trace of the Shikon jewel in the vicinity.  
  
"Again, what the hell do you want, youkai?" Inuyasha asked, taking a step forward and readying Tetsusaiga to swing at the winged demon.  
  
The windwalker held up his hands. "I am to deliver a message to you from my lady only. I have no wish to fight."  
  
"Get on with it then," the hanyou growled in response.  
  
"It is true that I have no Shikon shards. Nor do I wish yours for myself. But my lady has knowledge of the whereabouts of more of them, and will gladly give you the information. In return for a favor, of course."  
  
Inuyasha took another step forward.  
  
"What sort of favor?" Miroku asked, stepping up beside the hanyou and laying a hand on his arm.  
  
"She will tell you when the time comes."  
  
"When the time comes? And when might that be?" Inuyasha gritted out, eyes narrowing.  
  
"She will make herself known to you. You will see."  
  
"We will see? Why you--"  
  
"Inuyasha, stop," Kagome called before he could attack. For some reason, she felt the need to trust this youkai, though she could not figure out why. "He said we have to wait. Until then, we can't do anything about it."  
  
"My thanks, lady." The winged demon bowed to Kagome, then took a step backwards. "My lady will find you soon." With that, he turned and leapt off into the trees, leaving the others staring as a single feather fell to the ground in his wake.  
  
"He got away! Why the hell didn't you let me--"  
  
"You need to learn some social skills, Inuyasha," Kagome interrupted angrily. "He wasn't attacking, was he? So there was no need to start a fight."  
  
"She's right, Inuyasha. Patience is one thing you could do with a bit more of," Miroku smirked at the hanyou.  
  
"Watch it, monk," Inuyasha growled back, sheathing the now untransformed Tetsusaiga.  
  
"Most of the other youkai we meet are intent only on gaining the shards. If one is willing to talk peacefully--"  
  
"You didn't know that. He could've had others--"  
  
"If one is willing to talk _peacefully_," Miroku spoke louder, so as to cut the hanyou off in return, "why not give him the chance to do so?"  
  
Inuyasha glared at Miroku, knowing he was right, but not about to give in and admit it.  
  
"It's going to be dark soon. We should probably find somewhere to make camp for the night," Sango said, trying to stop the argument before it got any further.  
  
"Yeah. I'm sleepy," Shippo yawned from his place at Kagome's side.  
  
The girl reached down and patted him on the head. "Stopping for the night sounds like a good idea."  
  
"Keh. Weak humans," Inuyasha muttered half-heartedly. "Always needing sleep."  
  
"Hey, what am I?" Shippo asked indignantly, glaring at the hanyou.  
  
Kagome again wasn't going to put up with an argument. "Don't start, you two. Let's just find a nice spot where we can make a fire and rest. The sooner we go down for the night, the sooner we can get started in the morning."  
  
Sango helped the other girl to her feet and started walking in the direction they'd been heading earlier.  
  
Shippo hopped onto Kagome's shoulder as she carefully moved alongside the demon exterminator. He turned around to stick his tongue out at Inuyasha, but was grabbed by the back of his shirt before he could do so.  
  
"Nice try, brat," the hanyou smirked, holding the kitsune at eye level.  
  
"Leave him alone, Inuyasha."  
  
It was Shippo's turn to smirk. He wriggled free, only to nearly be caught again, this time by the tail. "Eeep!" he cried, scrambling ahead of the others in his efforts to get away.  
  
"Let us know when you find a good place to rest," Miroku called as Inuyasha raced after the kitsune.  
  
  
  
"'Tis done, my lady. They await your arrival."  
  
"Well done. I expect you back at your post within the hour."  
  
"Will you have any further messages for me to deliver?"  
  
"I will tell you tomorrow. I have no news yet from the hunters. Send them on to me if they return."  
  
"Yes, my lady." 


	6. Unexpected Apology

Surprising, isn't it? I've got another chapter out already. Thank you to all of those that reviewed! Feel free to do so (please do :) ), if you haven't already, or continue if you have :) I appreciate the comments.  
  
For those of you like Notaningen, wondering if Kagome's going to learn to see with her heart, I can honestly answer that as a no. :) But I won't say anything more. You'll just have to wait and find out. :)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 6: Unexpected Apology  
  
  
"Sango, can you tell me more about those windwalkers? You said you'd heard of them before?" Kagome walked alongside the demon exterminator, placing each foot carefully. It was slow going overall for the group, but she'd managed not to trip as much as she had the day before at the more leisurely pace.  
  
"There's really not that much that is known about them. Some consider them to be merely legends, they're so rarely seen."   
  
"Keh. Legendary? Didn't look that great to me," Inuyasha snorted derisively.  
  
Sango nodded in response, smiling a bit at the hanyou. "I didn't mean that they're all-powerful. They just tend to stick to their own kind, and not bother others. They actually are a quite peaceful race of youkai, from what I have heard of them."  
  
Kagome giggled. "Sounds like they wouldn't give you much of a challenge, Inuyasha."  
  
He grunted in response, turning his head to scan the woods around them as he walked.  
  
"Windwalkers aren't particularly strong. They can fly, and shapechange like a lot of youkai," Sango continued. "That's why they keep to themselves. No one even knows where their villages are. I've heard that they live high in the trees. But if they shapechange, they could live as birds, and not in their human-like form."  
  
"Do you know anything of their leaders? The one that we saw apparently wasn't one of them, since he kept referring to 'his lady'."  
  
Sango thoughtfully looked at the ground, a small frown on her face. "Actually, no. I believe I may actually be one of the only people from... my village... that has seen one." She cleared her throat, pausing a moment, then went on more quietly. "I said before they're almost legends only. I suppose I should count myself fortunate to have seen one. And there's still the possibility that we will see at least one more, if what he said was true."  
  
"What do you think 'his lady' could want? It would have to be something big if it's in return for Shikon shards, or even information about them. And why wouldn't they want them for themselves? I suppose it could be a trap..."  
  
"Didn't think of that before, did you?" Inuyasha replied sarcastically.  
  
"Don't be a jerk, Inuyasha." Kagome resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him, but barely.  
  
"But he's so good at it," Shippo piped up from the girl's shoulder.  
  
"You little brat," Kagome heard the hanyou mutter before Shippo squealed and leaped off her shoulder.  
  
"I don't think those two will ever change," Sango muttered, chuckling.  
  
Kagome was shaking her head at the two demons' antics. "I think I'd be afraid if they did. I'd wonder what had possessed one or the other of them if they started acting nice towards each other on a regular basis."  
  
"So do you believe we are walking into a trap, Sango?" Miroku asked from behind them. The monk had been silent for most of the day, and startled the two girls with his question.  
  
The demon exterminator nodded her head. "It is a possibility, but as I said, the windwalkers are peaceful youkai. Unless they do really want the Shikon no Tama, there would be no reason to approach us. Perhaps there really is something they need us for, but I can't imagine what it could be."  
  
"Hmm. If the male that approached us yesterday was anything to go by, perhaps the women will be quite attractive."  
  
Sango turned and glared at Miroku. "Don't you ever think of anything else?"  
  
"What? Did you not find the youkai to be quite handsome?"  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes as Sango faced front and refused to acknowledge the question.  
  
"Kagome! Help!" Shippo came running back towards them, followed closely by Inuyasha.  
  
The hanyou tripped on something Shippo threw at the ground. The kitsune then launched himself at Kagome, nearly knocking her over as he scrambled up to her shoulder.  
  
"Shippo, you need to be more careful. You nearly knocked Kagome down. She can't see you, remember?" Sango scolded.  
  
"Sorry," Shippo squeaked in response, biting his lip and waiting for Kagome to reprimand him as well.  
  
"Get over here, brat. I'll show you what a jerk I can be," Inuyasha growled, standing a few in front of the others.  
  
Kagome shook her head, frowning. "Just leave it alone. We need to keep going, not stand here waiting while you two fight like children."  
  
Inuyasha folded his arms over his chest and snorted. "Well, it's not my fault we haven't gone very far today."  
  
He realized his mistake when Kagome looked at the ground. His ears flattened back as he waited for her to 'sit' him. He did deserve it for that remark.  
  
"I know," she merely replied quietly.  
  
"Kagome... "  
  
She shook her head, wiping at her eyes to clear the tears that formed readily.  
  
"Kagome... I'm sorry." The words were so unexpected, and so quiet, she almost didn't believe she'd heard them. She knew he wouldn't repeat them if asked, however, and bit her lip, nodding slightly to acknowledge his apology.  
  
"Let's go, then," Inuyasha muttered gruffly after a pause, then turned to continue on down the path.  
  
"Wow," Shippo whispered to Kagome. He was about to say more, but the girl stopped him.  
  
"Hush, Shippo." She didn't want Inuyasha to yell at the kitsune, thinking he was making another wisecrack comment. She was still digesting the fact that the hanyou had voluntarily apologized.  
  
"Do you know anything more about these windwalkers, Sango?" Miroku asked after the group had walked on a few feet.  
  
She tilted her head to the side, running back through what she could remember others telling her about the winged youkai. "Something about the clans being split by wing color-- much like the different wolf packs. There's some kind of hierarchy among them, but I'm not sure where the one we saw could possibly fit in."  
  
Kagome had only been half-listening to the other two humans as she walked. She was still pondering Inuyasha's apology, and what could be his reasons for actually taking the initiative to do so for once. Something else was beginning to pull at the back of her mind, though she was too deep in thought to recognize it. It was perfectly understandable, then, when she suddenly ran into him from behind, considering she could not see him in the first place.  
  
"I- Inuyasha?" she asked as he turned around to steady her with a clawed hand on her arm.   
  
He didn't respond. Instead, she could hear him sniffing the air.   
  
"Inuyasha what is it?" Sango asked as she, too, stopped on the path.  
  
Before he could reply, Kagome spoke in a surprised tone. "Shikon shards. Coming this way, fast." 


	7. Aerial Assault

Okay, I'm posting as much as I can tonight, as I'm going to be out of town for fall break this weekend! So, enjoy the extra reading :) I'm not that great at action scenes, so let's hope this is at least close to as good as I think it's turned out... If there's anything you think needs fixing, let me know.  
  
For some reason, Shippo's favorite place in my story seems to be on Kagome's shoulder... Anyone else notice this?  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 7: Aerial Assault  
  
  
"Is it Kouga?" Sango asked, waiting for some signal as to exactly which direction the shards were coming from.  
  
"No," was Inuyasha's almost immediate response. "Stink's worse than that wimpy wolf."  
  
"Which way?"  
  
Kagome bit her lip, concentrating hard on the approaching shards. "I can't... That way!" she turned around and pointed off somewhere in the woods around them.  
  
"We would be easy targets moving through untraveled parts of the forest," Miroku said, looking through the trees in the direction the girl indicated.  
  
"They're much closer," Kagome added.  
  
"Then we'll just let them come to us," Inuyasha smirked, cracking his knuckles.  
  
"It does not look like we have to wait too long," Miroku commented, holding his staff in front of him defensively as they could all hear the trees nearby rushing with whatever was moving towards them.  
  
It suddenly became quiet, seconds before something vaulted out of the tree in front of them. It landed with hardly a sound as they all whirled to face it.  
  
"Ah, so now I've found you," the demon grinned, red eyes flashing. It looked almost like the winged youkai that had confronted them the day before, only this one was female, or so it seemed. The sleeveless robe she wore was torn and so full of grime it was hard to tell what the original color was. The same went for the hair, although it appeared to be a dark color, to go with the nearly-black wings protruding from her back.  
  
"Could this be who we were to wait for?" Miroku asked the others, watching every move the youkai made.  
  
"Ah, so you were waiting for me, were you?" the demon replied, it's evil smile growing wider. "Then that will just make things easier-- give me the shards."  
  
"I thought she didn't want the shards?" Shippo asked from Kagome's shoulder, eyes wide in confusion.  
  
"It was probably just a trick," Inuyasha growled. "You think we're just going to give you the shards, demon?"  
  
The winged female cocked her head to the side as if considering the question. "If you won't hand them over, then I'll just have to take them by force!" she cried, launching herself at the hanyou.  
  
The others quickly moved out of the way as Inuyasha jumped and landed behind the youkai, narrowly missing catching her wing in his claws.  
  
"You have to get through me first!"  
  
"All the more fun for me, then," the demon responded, again throwing herself at her opponent.  
  
This time, Inuyasha caught the youkai and flipped her over into a tree, the impact shaking leaves and feathers to the forest floor. The demoness was back on her feet instantly, ready to attack.  
  
"Where's the shard, Kagome?" Inuyasha called as he blocked yet again. The demon was attacking so quickly, he had no time to draw Tetsusaiga.  
  
"There's more than one! But I... I don't know," she whispered. The hanyou had apparently forgotten she couldn't see. The other youkai was moving so fast, she could only sense where it was at the time, not tell exactly where on its body the shards were located. "I don't know."  
  
The demoness pushed off of the ground, and hovered in the air above Inuyasha. "This is quite fun, but I want the Shikon shards now. Give them to me!" She then flew down at the half-demon, knocking him to the ground before shooting up again.  
  
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango cried, throwing the giant boomerang at the winged youkai.  
  
It was easily dodged, and the demon exterminator had to duck as the wind from the demon's wings threw it off course.  
  
Miroku held out his arm and reached for the prayer beads that kept his air void under control, but Sango stopped him. "No! We have to get the shard first!"  
  
"This is no fair fight, Sango!" Miroku yelled as he glared up at the demon chasing after Inuyasha. The hanyou had managed to avoid a direct hit since the first one, but still had no chance to draw his sword.  
  
"Who said anything about fighting fair?" the winged demon smirked at the others below, this time changing direction and zooming towards the rest of the group. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo jumped out of the way, but Kagome stood rooted to the spot.  
  
"Damn it, Kagome, move!" Inuyasha yelled, running towards her. He managed to knock them both to the ground and roll out of the way just before the youkai swooped past.  
  
The hanyou jumped to his feet and finally managed to draw Tetsusaiga. "Where are the shards, Kagome? Tell me!"  
  
"I don't know!" she cried, still lying huddled on the ground where she'd landed. "I don't know!"  
  
"Then I'll just have to hack it to pieces and find out!" Inuyasha raised the transformed sword and took a few racing steps before jumping towards the demon in the air.  
  
The winged youkai turned just as the sword arced toward its right wing, so all Inuyasha caught was air. The demoness managed to push him out of the way, throwing him into the tops of the trees. He fell to the ground with a loud thud, but slowly picked himself back up.  
  
Sango threw Hiraikotsu once more, hoping to distract the youkai enough that Inuyasha could stand and get in one good hit before he was attacked once more.  
  
The hanyou's swing was once again dodged. He avoided the flapping wings on his way down, and launched back up again as soon as his feet touched the ground.  
  
He managed to clip the demoness' left wing this time. She shrieked in outrage and pain, landing on the ground a few feet away.  
  
"You'll pay for that!"  
  
Inuyasha was thankful she was staying on the ground for the time being, but knew he needed to act fast if he was going to keep her that way.  
  
"Only if you can catch me first, you overgrown crow!" he yelled in return, charging with Tetsusaiga held ready to swing.  
  
"Quite easily done!" One grimy hand fisted in his robes and threw him up and over, into another tree.  
  
'Damn, she's fast!' he thought, getting to his feet. It had to be the Shikon shards. But how were they going to find them without Kagome's help? 


	8. Broken Wings

If anyone has a problem with my choices of names for my own characters, please let me know-- I don't really know any Japanese, and I'm picking from lists basically.  
  
Yes, I got two chapters done today, and I'm hoping to get another done tomorrow before I go home for the weekend. That one was actually supposed to be part of this one... but I got more in here than I originally thought I would. :)  
  
Hope you like :)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 8: Broken Wings  
  
  
"Kagome! Kagome, come on, we have to help!" Shippo frantically patted the girl's arm, looking back and forth between her and the fight. "Kagome, please!"  
  
"Shippo, I can't do anything! I can't even see!" she choked out finally, shaking her head at him.  
  
"You have to try! Here, here's your bow..." The kitsune grabbed the weapon and pressed it into her hand insistently.  
  
Kagome clenched her hand around the smooth wood, wanting to put it back on the ground at her side, but unable to release it. "Shippo, there's nothing I can do. I can't see the Shikon shards."  
  
Shippo's eyes widened as he again turned towards Inuyasha and the demon. The hanyou was again only able to defend against the constant attacks from the winged female. The youkai remained on the ground, but it appeared she would soon take to the air again. "I'll help you, Kagome. Please, you have to try!"  
  
"Shippo..." she protested. The kitsune climbed up her shoulder and grabbed an arrow from the quiver that rested on her back. He then placed it in her free hand and wrapped her fingers around the shaft.   
  
"Now, hold the bow up."  
  
When the girl continued to only sit and shake her head in denial, Shippo grabbed the bow and tilted it upright himself. He bit his lip, wondering how he was going to assist Kagome in aiming-- the demoness continued to move around quickly, and they would risk hitting Inuyasha. This was definitely going to be more difficult than he originally thought.  
  
"Kagome, please try... Please," the kitsune pleaded, not giving up hope yet.  
  
No longer resisting, the girl finally lifted her arms, and held the weapon straight in line with her body. "Tell me when to shoot, then," she told him resignedly. "And just pray I won't miss and hit Inuyasha."  
  
"Kagome what are you doing?" Sango called over the sounds of the fight, finally noticing what the other girl was doing. The demon exterminator had been watching for another way to help Inuyasha, but with the youkai as fast as she was, throwing Hiraikotsu again was not going to do any good.  
  
Kagome just shook her head in response, muscles beginning to shake as she held the bow ready to shoot.  
  
Sango and Miroku both jogged towards the girl, standing on either side of her. "Kagome, how do you expect to--"  
  
"I don't, Sango," she sighed defeatedly. "This was Shippo's idea."  
  
"Kagome, get ready!" the kitsune excitedly cried into her ear. "They're moving this way!"  
  
"Shippo, it is too dangerous. She could hit Inuyasha," Miroku objected, laying a hand on the top of the bow to stop Kagome from firing.  
  
"Move your hand, Miroku! She can hit that demon! Kagome--"  
  
"Shiori! I thought I told you that if you ever entered our territory again you were as good as dead!"  
  
The winged youkai suddenly stopped her charge at her opponent and spun around, red eyes narrowing. Everyone else turned at the same time, not having noticed the newcomer until he spoke.  
  
"Another one?" Inuyasha asked incredulously, trying to catch his breath at the sudden break.  
  
This windwalker had black hair and black wings, and his robe was a deep green, as if to blend in with the surrounding trees. In his hands, he held a bow with an arrow notched and aimed straight at the female youkai.  
  
"I think you may have just broken the record for windwalkers seen, Sango," Miroku quipped.  
  
The demon exterminator sent him a glare before renewing her grip on Hiraikotsu and turning back to the confrontation going on in front of them.  
  
"You don't scare me, Maruku. I can take you any day," the demoness taunted.  
  
"Oh really? The last time I saw you, you were running for your life from me and the other hunters."  
  
"Things have changed."  
  
"The shards you've found, then? Always were greedy, weren't you?" Maruku's stance never faltered as he continued to call down to the other youkai.  
  
The demoness seemed to preen as she answered. "I just want to be the best. Meitarou understood that."  
  
"I advise you to watch what you say, Shiori." The windwalker's voice turned menacing. "Unless you want me to ignore the law and avenge my brother here and now."  
  
"You'd never have the guts to disobey orders, Maruku." The youkai missed the tightening of the other demon's fingers on his bow as she looked down and inspected the dirt on her hands. "Meitaru did. Of course that did get him in rather a lot of trouble. So gullible, your brother," Shiori sighed lamentably. "But he was expendable."  
  
Before she could react, Maruku jumped from the branch he'd been standing on to the ground, his eyes narrowing. His voice was quiet, but icy with contempt. "You don't deserve your wings, Shiori."   
  
"M-Maruku?" The demoness suddenly backed away from the advancing windwalker. "M-Maruku, please--" she pleaded, her back running up against a rather large tree.   
  
"You had your chance," he murmured, seconds before releasing the arrow.   
  
Shippo hid his face in his hands when he heard a shriek of pain. He dared to peek through his fingers only when he heard whimpering.  
  
Not one, but two arrows, pinned the female youkai's wings to the tree behind her, just before the joint. The bones were most likely shattered, rendering her unable to fly.  
  
Maruku notched another arrow, again taking aim at Shiori. "This is for Meitarou. Mercy, in return for the mercy you failed to show him." He let the arrow fly, this time hitting on the opposite side of the joint on her left wing. "And this," he continued coldly, "this is for me and my family. Pain, in return for the pain you caused us by my brother's death." The arrow soon mirrored the previous one, this time in the right wing.  
  
Shiori continued to whimper as the windwalker lowered his bow. He stood staring at the demoness for a few moments, then turned to Inuyasha. "Take the shards. I leave Shiori to you."  
  
"N-no Maruku, I--" the demoness cried, reaching a hand out to him imploringly.  
  
The windwalker turned away. "Next time I find you, I won't just aim for your wings, Shiori."   
  
All but Kagome watched him walk away from them down the path.  
  
Inuyasha broke the silence when he sheathed Tetsusaiga. Miroku cleared his throat.  
  
Shippo gently hopped down and took the arrow from Kagome's shaking hand. "I guess you don't need this now," he stated before pulling the bow out of her other hand as well.  
  
Kagome let out a slightly hysterical giggle, her nerves still stretched taut. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart.  
  
"Kagome," Inuyasha said quietly, laying a hand on her shoulder to indicate where he stood. "Let's get those shards."  
  
The girl nodded, holding out her hands for the hanyou to help her to her feet. Her legs refused to keep her upright at first and she stumbled into him. He slid his arm around her waist and walked with her towards the still-pinned youkai.  
  
The demoness remained silent as Kagome ran her hands lightly over the now-broken wings, waiting for the feel of the Shikon no Tama to grow stronger. One shard lay fused to each of the joints. Inuyasha pried the two pieces off with his claws, then handed them to Kagome.  
  
Though the girl knew this youkai had attacked them, she still hated for anyone to be in pain. As gently as she could, she reached up and removed all four arrows, freeing Shiori from the tree.  
  
"Thank you," the female youkai murmured, looking up at Kagome, who turned away and waited for Inuyasha to guide her back to the others.   
  
The hanyou glanced back at the demoness before placing a hand beneath Kagome's elbow. Shiori's eyes were no longer youkai red. They were deep brown, and as empty of life as they would have been if Maruku had aimed for her heart. 


	9. Yet Another Setback

This chapter just did not want to be written the original way I planned it. I'm not sure if this is necessarily better, but this is the way it came out. And it turned into 2! Yes, some of you may be annoyed that I've gotten more chapters out in one day instead of spreading them out, but I won't be here for the weekend! Else, I would post then. So, please review if you read, so that I know all this effort was not for nothing!  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 9: Yet Another Setback  
  
  
Kagome leaned back in the hot spring, letting the water trickle through her fingers. She and Sango were relaxing after the fight from earlier. The demon exterminator was quiet, and Kagome wondered if the other girl had fallen asleep.   
  
Unfortunately, Kagome herself wasn't having that much luck. She kept running through what happened earlier. What was going to happen the next time they came upon a demon that wanted the shards they had? Especially if that demon had more, like the one today had? She couldn't see the shards. The only way she would be able to help find them would be if Inuyasha could easily kill, or at least temporarily hold the demon in one spot for her.   
  
Miroku and Sango had filled her in on the details of the fight, since she hadn't been able to see what was going on. They'd told her how fast the demoness had been, enhanced by the shards. Her ability to fly only compounded the problem. Were there more like her? The other windwalkers they'd met had not attacked them, but that didn't necessarily mean they were safe from all of the winged youkai, as they'd first assumed.  
  
'And everyone knows what happens when you assume...' she thought, giving a short laugh.  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
"Yes, Sango?"  
  
"Are you ready to go back?"   
  
Kagome could hear the water rippling, and guessed that the demon exterminator was moving towards the bank and their clothes. "I... guess so." She stood, then slowly headed in the direction she thought she'd heard Sango go, arms out in front of her and resting on the surface of the spring.  
  
"You're a little off, Kagome. Step a bit to the right... There. Your clothes are right in front of you." Sango continued to dress as the other girl made it to the shore.  
  
"Do you think we'll see any more demons like the one from earlier, Sango?"  
  
"I'm sure we'll meet other windwalkers. After all, we still have yet to see... whoever it was that was supposed to come to us. I don't believe the one we met today was her."  
  
Kagome finished pulling on her clothes in silence. "Sango... do you think I should just go back to Kaede's village?" she asked in a small voice.  
  
"Kagome, no. Why would you think you should?"  
  
"I'm no help to you. All I can do is sense the Shikon shards now. It was my fault in the first place that the jewel broke, and now I can't even fix it."  
  
The demon exterminator laid a hand on the other girl's arm. "Kagome, you are the _only_ one who can find the shards. Sure, the rest of us could possibly manage to do so, but it would be only with pure luck. We would never have found all that we have without you. That skill is the most important of all of those we have as a group. We work together, and are stronger for it."  
  
Kagome bit her lip, nodding. "Thank you, Sango," she said after a moment, with a small smile.  
  
"What are friends for?" Sango replied with a pat to her arm. "Shall we go back now?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
They walked back without speaking, just listening to the quiet night, and the voices of the others as they got closer to the camp.  
  
"Did you have to leave me alone with them for so long?" Shippo whined as soon as he saw the two girls.  
  
Kagome didn't answer as Sango led her around the fire to her sleeping bag. She sat down, then felt around for the zipper.  
  
"Kagome?" the kitsune asked, moving from his spot beside Miroku to the girl's side.  
  
"I'm tired, Shippo. I'm going to sleep."  
  
Inuyasha watched the exchange from the tree he leaned against across the fire. Something was still bothering Kagome. She was practically ignoring Shippo, _was_ ignoring the rest of them, and didn't invite the little fox demon to share her sleeping bag as she climbed in and turned to face away from the others. He thought about saying something to annoy her into 'sitting' him, like he usually did. But that didn't really solve anything, especially when what she was upset about wasn't necessarily something he'd done.  
  
"Shippo," he called quietly, when the kitsune was about to move around to the girl's other side. He shook his head when Shippo looked up at him wide-eyed. The young demon looked back down at Kagome, then quietly scampered around the fire to where Inuyasha sat.   
  
"Let her rest," the hanyou murmured, golden eyes still watching Kagome worriedly.  
  
  
  
"Damn it, not now!" Inuyasha growled out of nowhere, slamming a hand into the ground beside him.   
  
"What is it, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, blinking at the outburst.  
  
"What's wrong?" Sango echoed, her hand halting mid-swipe as she cleaned Hiraikotsu.  
  
"It's the moon, isn't it."   
  
The others looked at Kagome. It was the first she'd spoken since early in the morning when they were eating breakfast. Inuyasha had set a quick pace, wanting to make up for the time they'd lost fighting the demoness the day before. Now, they were taking a late-afternoon break, before moving on once more.  
  
Inuyasha turned his face away, folding his arms across his chest. "We don't need this now." How the girl'd managed to keep track of the moon's phases, even without being able to see, he didn't know.  
  
"Inuyasha, you say that every time this happens," Shippo responded with a giggle. The laugh soon died when he realized no one else was joining in.  
  
Miroku looked up at the sky to judge the angle of the sun. "We should find a village before nightfall. If we wait until sunset we can stay there for the night."  
  
Inuyasha nodded, then stood. "Let's get going, then."  
  
Sango helped Kagome to her feet, then picked up Hiraikotsu. "Lead the way, Inuyasha." 


	10. Nightmare

Eh... this is what happens when you get an idea, and it overflows into something else... you end up finishing at 1:30 in the morning.  
  
Please leave feedback, even if it's just to tell me how much of a sap I am :) I'd love to come back from my break to a find mailbox full of comments from you all.  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 10: Nightmare  
  
  
True to his form, Miroku had found them lodging for the night. Fortunately, it seemed as if this time he'd managed to find a village that actually housed no youkai. That theory would be proven right or wrong come morning, but so far, it hadn't been tested.  
  
All but the now-human Inuyasha were sleeping. He sat against the wall, staring out the window on the opposite side of the room. He hated not being able to see the stars at night; he could always count on them being there, even when it was cloudy. The consistency calmed him, especially on nights such as this one, when he took on the form he inherited from his mother. She had always told him stories about the stars and constellations, her soothing voice lulling him to sleep.  
  
A small sound jerked Inuyasha from his thoughts. He'd almost dismissed it, but heard it once more. He mentally cursed his diminshed senses, as he sat still and tried to identify the noise.   
  
Muffled crying. That was the only thing that came to mind at the small, sharp intakes of breath he could pick out as they grew louder.  
  
As quietly as he could, he stood and padded over to Kagome. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to do, but he was positive she was the one trying to hide the near-silent sobs.  
  
Uncertainly, Inuyasha crouched beside her and laid a hand on her trembling shoulder. "Kagome?" he whispered.  
  
She jumped and turned over quickly, nearly socking him in the chin, but he'd leaned back as soon as he felt her twitch. He could see the still-damp tear tracks on her face in the faint light from outside.   
  
"Kagome, what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," she replied in a choked voice, turning back away from him.  
  
"It's not nothing," the hanyou-gone-human muttered, gently trying to bring her around to face him again.  
  
She shoved his hand away. "It's nothing, Inuyasha," she sniffed. "Just... just leave it alone."  
  
"Kagome..."  
  
"I'm fine. Please... let it go."  
  
"Damn it, Kagome, why won't you talk to me?" he nearly growled, remembering at the last minute to keep his voice down.  
  
"You're going to wake the others. Just leave me alone."  
  
She let out a ragged sigh when he made no move to bother her again. Her relief was short-lived, however, when she felt one arm snake under her shoulders, the other under her legs. Before she could cry out, he'd covered her mouth with his hand and was quickly striding out the door of the room the group had been given.  
  
She struggled to get away, but even in his human form, he was stronger than she was. "Inu-" she almost got out, before being cut off.  
  
"Hush. Not until we're outside."  
  
He finally set her on her feet when they were just on the outskirts of the sleeping village. "There. Now you can yell and scream at me all you want, but I want you to talk to me."  
  
"I'm going back to sleep," she told him, stomping as she began to head back the way they'd come.  
  
She'd only taken a couple of steps before he pulled her back around by the arm. "No, you're not. You're not going back until you tell me what's wrong. You have to wait until I'm satisfied with your answer before I'll guide you back."  
  
She shook her head, arms folded across her chest defensively. "I told you, it's nothing."  
  
"Is it about the fight with the demoness? With that Shiori?"  
  
He watched as she went rigid, head lowered and fists clenched at her sides. "Why can't you just let it be, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Why won't you tell me?" he countered.  
  
She shook her head, reaching up to wipe the newly falling tears. He caught her hand and pulled her to him, both arms wrapping around her back.  
  
"Kagome, we won. Maybe with a little help, but--"  
  
"No. It's not that," she muttered, shaking her head against his chest. "I... I had a dream. A nightmare." Her fists clenched in his robes.   
  
"About the fight?"  
  
She nodded, praying he wouldn't ask her to say anymore.  
  
"Can you tell me about it?"   
  
It just figured. When she didn't want him to be sensitive, he went and did it anyway, as opposed to when she would prefer him to be, and he wasn't. She went still, wanting to shake her head and refuse.  
  
"Kagome?" he leaned back to look down at her, but she pressed her face back into the fabric covering his chest.  
  
"I... It was... all my fault," she began slowly, then rushed through the rest to ease the memory. "I couldn't shoot, though I could somehow see the bow in my hands, and that other youkai didn't come, and she hurt you, and Sango, and Miroku... and Shippo... and I couldn't do anything, and she just laughed, and all I could see was the blood covering all of you..."  
  
Inuyasha held her tighter as she sobbed out the last. "Shh, Kagome... It's okay." He remembered his mother holding him when he had nightmares as a child, and stroked Kagome's hair as she had done a long time ago. "It never happened. We're all safe."  
  
"But I'm just a danger to you all," she choked out. "You would be so much better off without me."  
  
"Kagome--"  
  
"I can't even see the shards anymore!" she cried, thumping her fists against his chest. "What good am I? I'm just a weak human, like you always tell me. I'm not even a good shard detector anymore."  
  
"Hush," he scolded. "Kagome... you're not a weak human. You, Miroku, and Sango are the strongest humans I know," he told her in a quiet voice. "You can still find the shards. Without you, we wouldn't be able to do that."  
  
"That's what Sango said," she sniffed.   
  
"Well, why didn't you believe her?" Inuyasha asked, giving her a little shake. "She's much better with words than I am. Haven't you figured that out yet?"  
  
Kagome gave a tiny hiccup that was possibly a laugh. "But that's all I'm good for. To find the shards. I can defend myself even less now than I could before. And you don't need me for anything else."  
  
He didn't say anything to that, but turned his head and rested his cheek on her hair, his arms tightening around her.  
  
She was about to pull away when she felt his voice rumble from low in his chest. "Kagome... I need you. More than you know, I need you there with me. You're not just my shard detector. You never were."  
  
Kagome couldn't say anything in response to that, and so just slid her arms down from his chest and around his waist. She hid the small joyous smile against the folds of his red robes and remained quiet. Maybe there was something to his being sensitive when she didn't want him to be.  
  
Inuyasha didn't know how long they stood like that, but when she began to relax more against him, he figured it was time to go back. He pressed a small kiss to the top of her head, then pulled away slightly. "Hmm, Kagome? Are you asleep?"  
  
"No," she mumbled just before yawning.  
  
He chuckled, then gently took her arms from his waist. "Come on, you're almost dead on your feet."   
  
"Okay."  
  
He kept one arm around her shoulders as he guided her back down the path into the village. 


	11. Surrounded

I love you guys... I come back from my break (which needed to be way longer) with a cold, and I see the reviews you all left... :) They made me feel so much better. Please keep them coming! :)  
  
Here's another chapter... This story is getting quite complicated-- too many scenarios running around in my head! And those last four chapters just came so easily... This one just didn't want to write itself... I hope you guys like it!  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 11: Surrounded  
  
  
"Can't we take a break?" Shippo whined as he followed Inuyasha. The kitsune stopped to stretch and yawn, not warning the unsuspecting Kagome who trailed behind him in turn.  
  
"Watch out!" Sango called as Miroku grabbed the back of the girl's shirt to stop her from tripping over the little fox demon in her path. The monk quickly released his grip at the narrow-eyed look from Inuyasha, who had turned to see what was going on behind him.  
  
Kagome stopped mid-step at the outburst, one foot raised in the air, along with the end of the walking stick she'd taken to using to balance herself with. She didn't want to end up falling down a small ledge, or running into a rather large tree, or whatever it was they were keeping her from doing.  
  
"Shippo, you can't just stop in the middle of the road," Sango scolded the kitsune. "Kagome can't see you, remember?"  
  
Kagome put her foot and the stick down slowly. She nearly sighed in relief at hearing it was just Shippo. The anticlimactic discovery also annoyed her slightly, however. It seemed that everyone's nerves had been on edge for most of the day, and this incident hadn't been the first time that the others had overreacted to her being blind.  
  
Shippo had found what he'd said was the most beautiful flower he'd ever seen, and had presented it to her, only to follow it by crying and apologizing since she couldn't see it. Then a few hours later, Sango had been worried that Kagome would slip on one of the large rocks they were using to cross a small stream. With the proper directions as to where to place her feet, she would've been fine, but the demon exterminator was making such a fuss that Inuyasha finally picked Kagome up and jumped across. He turned and set the girl down, giving Sango a fairly annoyed look. Like Shippo, she begged forgiveness for being so silly and for not helping Kagome cross the stream herself.  
  
And now this. Sango had worried her when she'd cried out, and it had all been for naught.  
  
Shippo saw the slight frown that crossed her face, and, thinking it was aimed at him, he grabbed her leg and hugged it hard. "I'm sorry, Kagome!"  
  
The girl could tell by his voice that he was close to crying again. "It's okay, Shippo. Just please warn me next time you stop, okay?" She'd intended to sound soothing, but she couldn't help the slightly aggravated tone.  
  
The kitsune sniffled a bit and gradually let go of her leg, still eyeing her warily.  
  
"We need to keep going," Inuyasha muttered, bringing the group's attention back to their task.  
  
"Do you feel it, then?" Miroku asked, the rings on his staff jingling a bit as he gripped it tighter.  
  
The hanyou nodded in response, scanning the treetops above them as he'd been doing for most of the day.  
  
"Feel what?" Kagome asked, frowning even more. She hadn't seen Inuyasha's nod, but if the monk felt something, then it was likely he did too. She hadn't noticed anything unusual, but then again, they were much more adept at sensing demons and other dangers than she was. "Feel what?" she repeated when no one answered.  
  
"As if we are being watched. Surrounded... "  
  
Kagome bit her lip nervously upon hearing Miroku's ominous response. "Is it... youkai?"  
  
"It is hard to tell. I can not place exactly-- Inuyasha, what-"  
  
The monk's voice was cut off by a great rustling sound as the rock Inuyasha had thrown into the branches of a tree startled whatever had been hiding in its leaves. As soon as the noise died down, Inuyasha threw another stone into a different tree, with the same results. A third and fourth pebble followed, the last finally hitting its target.  
  
A rather large raven-like bird fell out of the tree and landed a few feet in front of the hanyou. It righted itself, cocking its head to the side and eyeing the group curiously. In seconds, it had changed form, leaving a giggling windwalker in its place. The obviously female youkai flung her hair back from her face with one hand and grinned at them as she crouched on the ground. "You all are such fun to tease!" She giggled a bit more before adding, "And to think Father almost didn't let me come along!"  
  
"Father?" Sango questioned aloud, critically glancing at the girl's features. With her dark wings and hair, there was definitely a possibility...  
  
"Marieko!" a slightly familiar voice called from somewhere above them. Its owner soon appeared, standing on a tree branch as he had a few days before.  
  
"Maruku!"  
  
"I was right!"  
  
Sango and Miroku spoke at the same time, drawing the windwalker's attention away from the girl who was apparently his daughter.  
  
Maruku hopped to the ground, bowing slightly after landing. "Please excuse Marieko. She tends to forget that hunters-in-training usually are not allowed out on official business, even if they happen to be niece to the leader of our people."  
  
Marieko pouted at her father as he glared back at her. She stood up and folded her hands behind her back. The young youkai lowered her eyes in respect and guilt. "I'm sorry, sir, for disobeying orders. It won't happen again."  
  
"Hush, Marieko. We both know that isn't true," the windwalker muttered in response, looking down and coughing a bit to hide the pink tint to his cheeks.   
  
The girl grinned again and rolled her eyes. "I know, I know, I'm too much like Uncle Meitarou..."  
  
"That's what I am afraid of." Maruku sent an amused glance at her, then turned back to the others. His voice was all business when he spoke again. "My lady Tamaeri requested that I and the other hunters escort you to our village. You are to be our guests, and as such, under our protection." He made a gesture in the air with his hand, and the trees around them were suddenly stirring with life. Many other winged youkai lined the road from above-- as Miroku had thought earlier, the group was surrounded. Inuyasha watched the demons warily, still not totally believing that they weren't walking straight into a trap.  
  
The monk, as the usual spokesman for the group, recovered first and stepped forward. He bowed to the windwalker. "We would be honored to accept your hospitality."  
  
Maruku nodded decisively. "Good. Then we will show you the way." He placed a hand on his daughter's arm to stop her when she began to change back into her bird-form. "On foot, Marieko."  
  
"Yes, sir," she replied, falling into step behind him.  
  
"Are you counting how many there are, Sango? Or are you waiting to see how many we meet later?" Miroku quipped in the demon exterminator's ear.  
  
"Hush, you," she replied, batting him away and moving to walk at Kagome's side to explain all that the girl had missed in the exchange. 


	12. Destination: Unknown

Honestly, I'm not quite sure if I like the way the last chapter turned out... I know where I want this story to go, it's the in-between parts that are the problem. I hope it wasn't too terrible. Please let me know if anything does seem too confusing. Writing these at night does not seem to be one of my best ideas. :) But, it's really the only time I have.  
  
And silly me somehow forgot to have Kirara around. lol.  
  
Wow, this chapter turned out to be the longest, I think, so far!  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 12: Destination: Unknown  
  
  
"If you will wait here for a moment, the lift will be available for you," Maruku informed them as he stopped at what appeared to be a random point along the path.  
  
Most of the other youkai had disappeared in the last few moments, much to Inuyasha's annoyance. He could still feel and smell their presence, but he was no longer able to see them. The windwalkers might've changed back into their bird forms, but he didn't know how their auras would seem bigger when they were smaller in size. Perhaps he'd been right all along, and the demons were preparing an ambush and calling in reinforcements?  
  
Maruku interrupted the hanyou's thoughts as he continued to speak. "I must report to Lady Tamaeri that you have arrived. I trust my daughter will behave herself if I leave you with her," the dark-haired windwalker added with a pointed glance at Marieko.  
  
"Yes, sir," she replied with a nod.  
  
"Good." Maruku leapt high, shapeshifting as he glided into the trees towards some unknown destination.  
  
Marieko watched him go, then turned back to the others. The giggling, school-girlish demeanor had been replaced by a somberness that resembled her father's. "I'm sorry for the way I behaved earlier. I truly do know better than to act like a child, and I'm positive I'll hear about it later. My father continues to remind me that if I want to be treated like a hunter, I need to act more like one." She sighed, but a small smile lit her features. "I was overwhelmed by the prospect of meeting you, however. It's rare that we have visitors, and even more so that they are not windwalkers themselves."  
  
Miroku smiled widely in return. "There is no need for an apology from a girl as lovely as you."  
  
"Idiot," Sango muttered after whacking him on the back of the head.  
  
Marieko giggled and shook her head. "As I was saying, it's very, very rare that we have humans wander into our territory. I was anxious to see what you three were like."  
  
Miroku just grinned while Sango rolled her eyes.  
  
"You didn't want to meet us?" Shippo asked, drawing the youkai's brown gaze to where he stood with Kirara, next to Sango.  
  
"Of course, I did. And I don't believe we have officially met, since I don't know all of your names yet."  
  
Inuyasha wasn't sure becoming acquainted with the demon was in their best interests, but he kept quiet, eyes and ears open and waiting for anything unusual.  
  
"I'm Shippo," the kitsune smiled brightly, trying to look his cutest. "And this is Kirara," he added, pointing to the two-tailed cat sitting beside him.  
  
The windwalker nodded, then turned to Sango.  
  
"My name is Sango," the demon exterminator responded on cue.  
  
Marieko nodded once more, then grinned slightly as she pointed at Miroku. "Does he have a name other than 'idiot'?"  
  
Sango grinned in return. "Not in my opinion."  
  
"Hey!" the monk exclaimed indignantly. "It's Miroku, Lady Marieko."  
  
"We'll see," the windwalker continued to tease. She moved on to Kagome before he could say more.  
  
Inuyasha nudged her hand under the cover of his long sleeves, indicating that the youkai was waiting for her to introduce herself.  
  
"I'm Kagome," the girl smiled, tapping the hanyou's hand in return to show that she received his silent message.  
  
"And you," Marieko began after nodding to Kagome, "must be Inuyasha."  
  
The half dog demon sputtered as the windwalker just grinned at him.  
  
"Yes, news travels fast," she laughed as Inuyasha finally shut his mouth and glared at her. "Even to those of us who are not, ah, usually, allowed to leave the village until we are finished with our training." The youkai suddenly looked around for something else to focus on as her face flushed pink. "Oh, look. The lift has been let down." As she spoke, a wooden platform, fenced on each side and suspended by multiple ropes, came to rest on the forest floor between two fairly large trees. "We usually don't use it, but since you can't fly, this is easier than some of us carrying you up."  
  
Inuyasha eyed the wooden... contraption skeptically. Obviously, he wasn't afraid of heights, but he preferred to jump into trees under his own steam whenever possible. And this thing could easily be part of their trap...  
  
"Don't worry. It's very safe." Marieko tapped the hanyou on the shoulder, then laughed at the glare he gave her out of the corner of his eye.  
  
It took Shippo's calling him a coward and smirking to get Inuyasha to board the platform, and by that time, everyone else was already settled. Little room was left for the half dog demon to seat himself as the others were doing, so he was crammed in the center, arms crossed and sulking.  
  
The lift began to move as soon as Marieko latched the gate in the fencing. Everyone but Kagome was fairly startled at the slight lurch the platform gave before slowly being hoisted upwards.  
  
"Like an elevator..." the girl pondered aloud, drawing a strange look from the windwalker riding with them.  
  
"An ehl-eh-vay-tor?" Marieko pronounced, cocking her head to the side.  
  
Kagome smiled in the direction she'd heard the voice come from. "From my t-- country," she corrected quickly. "We have metal boxes suspended by cables that carry people from floor to floor in tall buildings."  
  
"Your buildings must be as tall as our trees if you need lifts to carry you between levels!" the windwalker exclaimed in awe.  
  
"I... Yes, some of them are as tall, and much taller than the trees here." Kagome's smile faded when she instinctively turned her head upwards to see how high the nearest trees were. She sighed and shifted her shoulders against the wooden fencing, trying to loosen the knot that was forming in her back.  
  
Marieko spoke more quietly, some of the excitement gone from her voice when she asked the next question. "You are from far away, then?"  
  
Kagome nodded. "You could say that." 'Centuries away, in fact,' she added silently.  
  
"I'm sorry. You miss your home, then, don't you?"  
  
The girl was surprised at Marieko's perception. "Yes. I miss my family more than anything."  
  
"Hey, what about us?" Shippo asked loudly from across the platform. He was squeezed between Sango and Miroku at the demon exterminator's insistence.  
  
Kagome gave another small smile. "You guys are my family here, Shippo, but... I can't just forget about my brother, and mom, and grandpa, now can I?"  
  
The kitsune seemed to consider her question. "No," he finally replied quietly. Hesitantly, he climbed between the other two humans, over Inuyasha's lap, and into Kagome's. The hanyou's protest was forgotten at Shippo's next question. "When you're there, do you miss us?"  
  
"Always, Shippo," the girl responded, patting the little fox demon's head.  
  
Inuyasha ducked his head and watched Kagome out of the corner of his eye as silence fell over those on the moving platform. He felt guilty; it was pretty much his fault she wasn't able to return to her own time, if you counted the fact that he was the one really searching for the shards. Sango and Miroku were out to kill Naraku. Shippo was merely with them because he had no one else. Kagome... Kagome was only helping because she was the one to break the Shikon no Tama in the first place. How different would things be if just that one event hadn't occurred? Would she have returned home and never come through the well again? Would she have taken the jewel with her? Or left it with Kaede, or someone else? She certainly would not have given it to him.   
  
The hanyou forced himself to look away. It never helped to dwell on what might have been, he was slowly learning. And the main thing they needed to do to get things back to where they should be was to find some way to cure Kagome's blindness. At least then things would be as normal as they could be, or so he thought. 


	13. Windwalkers Are People, Too, You Know

Nice long chapter for you! Sorry it's taken a bit longer to update... this chapter needed some re-working, and also I'm really busy this week.  
  
Odd thought I had in the middle of writing this chapter-- Inuyasha's half-human, so he probably would've learned how to read at least somewhat. But would Sesshoumaru ever have learned?  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 13: Windwalkers Are People, Too, You Know  
  
  
"We're here!" Marieko announced brightly as the lift came to a stop. She stood up quickly, causing the wooden platform to swing slightly on its ropes. Its other occupants clutched at the nearest steady object at the unexpected jolt.   
  
Sango glared at Miroku when the monk's cursed hand remained on her leg after she'd released the lift's wooden fencing. He held the offending limb up in surrender, then rose to his feet with the help of his staff.  
  
Shippo let go of Kagome's waist and turned around, only to come face-to-face with a startled Inuyasha. The hanyou, having nothing to grab on to in the middle of the platform, had almost fallen over when the lift swayed. He'd caught himself with one hand placed beside Kagome's knees. Just when he was about to shift away, the kitsune had spun around, nearly knocking Inuyasha's nose with his tail.   
  
"What are you doing?" Shippo asked, hands on his hips as he frowned suspiciously at the half dog demon.  
  
"Nothing, brat." Inuyasha abruptly jerked away and to his feet.  
  
"Hah! Then what were you so close-- Hey! Put me down!" The kitsune squirmed in Inuyasha's grasp, then screeched when he was hurtled towards Sango. Thankfully, the demon exterminator caught him before he could hit the tree he knew the hanyou was truly aiming for.  
  
Inuyasha, in the mean time, had helped Kagome to stand and was pushing her towards the gate Marieko had unlatched.  
  
"My father says that our Lady is waiting for you, and that I should bring you to her."  
  
"Lead the way," Kagome responded, wondering how she was going to make it wherever they were headed without being able to see where she was placing her feet.  
  
Inuyasha grunted at her side. "You're so willing to walk straight into what may be a trap," he muttered, so low that she almost didn't hear.  
  
She poked him in the side to shush him, then finally caught onto something the female windwalker had just said. "Is Maruku back with us?" she asked Inuyasha in as quiet a tone as he had used.  
  
"No," he replied, glancing around to make sure the youkai wasn't hiding somewhere he just hadn't noticed. The others were making their way off of the lift.  
  
"Then how... Marieko, you spoke to your father?" How could the demon have talked to him if he hadn't returned to bring their group to his leader himself? Unless he'd flown by as a bird...  
  
"Yes, I did. He's waiting for us with Lady Tamaeri."  
  
"Oh." Kagome was quiet for a moment, then asked Inuyasha again in a hushed tone, "Did any of them fly by?"  
  
"No." The hanyou was so occupied with keeping his senses alert that he wasn't quite paying attention to the questions she asked, and the tone beneath them. Or the fact that he and Kagome were still on the lift, and the others were waiting for them to exit through the gate.  
  
"Oh," Kagome said again, puzzled.  
  
Shippo tugged on Kagome's sleeve as he stood on the lift's fencing. "Kagome, you should 'sit' Inuyasha for throwing me like that!"  
  
The girl shook her head, only half-listening to the little fox demon's request. "Shippo, can you tell me what everything looks like?"  
  
"Of course I can! There's lots of trees and leaves and--"  
  
"No, I mean as we walk to wherever it is that we're going?"  
  
The kitsune climbed up her arm to her shoulder. "Okay. I can do that."  
  
"Thanks, Shippo," Kagome replied, aiming a grateful smile in his direction. The lift suddenly jerked beneath the girl's feet, causing her to cling to the first thing her flailing hands encountered--Inuyasha's arm. "I-Inuyasha!"  
  
Shippo was nearly flung from his perch when she jumped. His grip on Kagome's neck was nearly as tight as hers on the hanyou's biceps.  
  
"Oi, wench, what is wrong with you?" Inuyasha growled down at her.  
  
"I'm gonna t-trip and f-fall from way up h-here!" she whimpered, burying her face in his billowy sleeve.  
  
"Kagome, let go." The hanyou tried to ease her hold on his arm, gently prying with his fingers so as not to scratch her in the process. He glared at Shippo, who immediately let go of Kagome's neck and scampered off towards the others.  
  
"Allow me to assist you, Lady Kagome," Miroku called, making his way back onto the platform after he heard Inuyasha's demand that she release him. The lift bounced once more, causing the girl to cling even tighter to Inuyasha.  
  
"Back off, monk," the half dog demon barked out. "You're making it worse."  
  
Miroku inclined his head, slowly stepping back the way he'd come.  
  
"Kagome, let go. You're not going to fall," Inuyasha murmured, his voice coming out more gruffly than he'd intended.  
  
Kagome eased her grip a tiny bit, but shook her head against his arm. "No."  
  
"Kagome, you have to," he demanded a little more forcefully. The girl didn't so much as twitch in response.  
  
"We're wasting time here, Kagome." The hanyou tried once more to pry her arms from around his own.  
  
She again shook her head, her muffled voice sounding small and terrified. "I can't, Inuyasha. I'm scared."  
  
Inuyasha's ears flattened back as he relented. "Kagome... please... let go. I won't let you fall." His quiet tone matched hers.  
  
Kagome didn't voluntarily release him, but, after a moment, he was able to remove her arms himself, all the while keeping close so as to reassure her with his presence. When her arms lay slack at her sides, he placed her left hand in the crook of his elbow. She immediately tightened her hold, her fingers digging in to the fabric of his robes.  
  
"Now, take a step with me," the hanyou encouraged. "When I tell you, move. Step."  
  
Kagome hesitatingly followed his direction, keeping as close to his side as was possible without hindering their ability to walk.  
  
"Good. Another. Step... And again, step."  
  
The others watched from the walkway as the two slowly made their way towards the gate.  
  
"Now, step up a bit... there. Keep going..." Inuyasha continued to murmur soothingly. Her fingers were slowly loosening their grip on his forearm. "Okay, now we're off. And my arm's finally regaining its feeling," he mock-growled, hoping to cheer her a little.  
  
Kagome bit her lip and ducked her head. "Thank you," she responded quietly, giving his arm a squeeze.  
  
By that time, everyone but Shippo had turned away. Marieko was studying the treetops above them. Sango and Miroku stood behind the windwalker, Kirara in the demon exterminator's arms. The two humans were watching the few other winged youkai who were checking the ropes that tied the lift to the surrounding trees, to make sure it would not go back down on its own. The kitsune just kept watching Inuyasha and Kagome, head cocked to the side and a worried expression on his face. When Inuyasha looked up, he hastily averted his eyes, hoping not to be caught.  
  
"What were you staring at, brat?" the hanyou growled, taking a menacing step towards Shippo. His eyes narrowed, glinting gold in a promise that even Kagome wouldn't save him if the kistune made so much as one small comment.  
  
"N-nothing," the little fox demon replied, swallowing nervously. He edged along the lift's fencing once more, until he could again climb onto Kagome's shoulder. His eyes remained glued to Inuyasha the entire way. When the half-demon merely looked on without protest, Shippo nearly sighed aloud in relief.  
  
"Everybody off? Okay, then." Marieko motioned for the group to follow her down the wooden walkway that had been built among the branches of the large trees. Railings lined each side, to prevent those traveling on foot from falling to the ground far below.  
  
Inuyasha began guiding Kagome down the path, the others moving slowly out of consideration for the pair.  
  
The kitsune started describing what sounded like nearly every piece of wood to Kagome, before she stopped him with a shaky laugh. "Okay, Shippo, I get the idea. How about you just tell me when there's something... Oh no, there's a hole there--"  
  
"Bring your foot back to the left, Kagome. It's too close to the edge," Inuyasha instructed, trying to forestall another panic attack.  
  
Kagome did as he asked, taking a deep breath before continuing with what she'd been saying. "Tell me when there's something else to see, maybe, Shippo? Like any other windwalkers, or a hut or something, okay?"  
  
"Okay," Shippo replied with a small sigh. He had been doing such a good job, too!  
  
"Oh! I nearly forgot! The festival is tonight!" Marieko cried in delight as she rounded a corner in the path and stopped walking.  
  
Inuyasha quickly held Kagome back before she could run into the demon.  
  
"Festival?" the girl asked, surprised at the abrupt halt and the words that preceded it.  
  
"Yes, even demons have festivals sometimes," Marieko joked, turning to look at the others behind her. "We're honoring our ancestors, remembering those who came before us and what they went through to keep our people safe. We mostly focus on the histories of the clans we belong to. There are two clans here, and others live elsewhere." She let out a giggle before continuing. "The little ones pretend to be their heroes-- it's really quite amusing. Some perform their favorite battles or scenes from our history. They prepare for weeks, then half of them forget what they are to say in their speeches." She gave a little sigh, then sobered, staring pensively out between some of the leaves around them. "It's not going to be as much fun as usual, with my uncle not here..." She shook her head, then looked back at them with a sad smile. "But I'll let Lady Tamaeri tell you about that."  
  
With that, the windwalker resumed walking down the path, and the others were finally able to see what had reminded her of the festival in the first place. The huts built in the trees were gaily decorated with ribbons of many colors. Hand-made decorations hung from branches, most including sticks, feathers, and more ribbons. Some small windwalker children ran about between the huts, one girl chasing a boy when he stole the decoration she'd been trying to hang. The two tangled in a rolling heap, and a feminine voice called out to them to behave.   
  
Shippo described the scene to Kagome as they walked. The girl kept her free hand on the railing, following Inuyasha's interjected instructions when he spoke in her ear to override the kitsune's constant chattering.  
  
"There aren't many windwalkers here," Sango commented somewhat disappointedly, eyeing the mostly quiet huts.  
  
"Hmm, no not at this time of day," Marieko responded. "But there are a few more than you think." She gestured into the trees that surrounded them, pointing out that some of the youkai were resting in their bird forms. "The hunters take shifts, so those not on patrol are sleeping right now. Most of the younger ones are at lessons, and those not old enough are here helping decorate, as you can see," she laughed. "The harvesters are gathering food and tending the trees."  
  
Kagome smiled at how human the windwalkers sounded, her earlier bafflement at Marieko's comments long forgotten.  
  
"Very much like a human village," Miroku echoed her thoughts. "So they will be present for the festival then, I assume?"  
  
"Certainly," the demon replied, excitedly rushing on. "Is this really like one of your villages? I've never seen one..."  
  
The monk pointed out the different roles that paralleled those in the youkai settlement. "We have farmers that gather the food, soldiers and priests or priestesses that help protect our people, and our children learn our ways a little each day."  
  
"I hope someday I can come visit your village and see it for myself," Marieko sighed wistfully. "But for now, I have to finish my training."  
  
They continued on in silence for a few moments, before the windwalker pointed to the larger hut set slightly away from the others. "That is Lady Tamaeri's, and my uncle Morihiko's hut. She and my father are waiting for you inside." She bowed to the group, then began to back away. "If you'll excuse me, I must return to my own lessons."  
  
When Marieko had gone, Miroku scratched his head and asked, "Was it just me, or did the rest of you get the impression she did not want to go in with us?" The others just shook their heads and continued on towards the single hut, Inuyasha guiding Kagome a little more quickly as the wooden pathway grew wider with each step. 


	14. First Impressions

Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 14: First Impressions  
  
  
"I see my daughter has returned to her training," Maruku commented as the last of the group entered the hut.  
  
Miroku nodded absently, his eyes adjusting to the dimmer light inside the dwelling. Maruku was not the only windwalker present. Two light-haired and -winged demons stood on the far side, inspecting a map laid across the lone table in the hut. Their wings were folded against their backs, a few feathers fluttering here and there in the faint breeze blowing in through the window on the left wall. The monk assumed one of them must be Lady Tamaeri, though from the angle he watched, he could not tell which she could possibly be.  
  
Other than the table, and some cushions on the floor, there was no real furniture in the room. The right-hand side was actually another walled off room, with a mat covering the doorway. 'Most likely the Lady's private quarters,' Miroku thought, wondering what type of valuables a winged demon could possibly be hiding.  
  
One thought was running through Sango's mind as she stood next to the monk: was it possible that she was the only demon exterminator to ever meet the leader of a windwalker clan? Not only that, but she had been invited into the village of such reclusive demons... If she was not the first to manage either feat, she was definitely the last of her people to ever do so. No other demon exterminator from her village remained to hear the tale. Shoulders hunched, Sango stared at the slats in the floor with sorrow-filled eyes.  
  
Kagome had felt Inuyasha's muscles grow tense as soon as they entered the hut. She knew he was worried they were just walking straight into some evil plot by the winged youkai, but she was beginning to doubt that could be possible. The windwalkers had apparently followed them for some time before showing themselves and escorting the group to their village. What demon would allow strangers to see its home? Well... unless they believed the strangers would never leave...  
  
Kagome shook her head to ward off the dark thoughts. She wanted to believe the windwalkers truly wanted their help, until such a time when her theory might be proven wrong. She hoped it never would be.  
  
"Kagome, are there any shards here?" Inuyasha asked her in a low voice.  
  
"No. I haven't felt any since we arrived in the village," the girl replied, hoping to ease his mind and her own. The absence of Shikon shards hopefully meant the absence of any threats to the group as well.  
  
Inuyasha seemed to relax slightly, though Kagome knew he was still ready to leap into battle should the need arise. The hanyou's gaze remained fixed on the two unfamiliar windwalkers, his ears cocked forward in the hopes of catching some of their conversation. Unfortunately, they were talking too quietly for even his keen demon senses to pick up.  
  
"Shippo, what do you see?" she queried of the kitsune still perched on her shoulder.  
  
Shippo had been eyeing the cushions on the floor, wondering if they were as soft as they looked. A nap sounded nice, now that he thought about it...  
  
"Shippo?"  
  
"Oh, sorry Kagome!" the kitsune cried when she finally got his attention. "What did you ask?"  
  
The outburst caused the other windwalkers to look up from their perusal of the map. Both were female. Inuyasha thought the one on the left looked familiar, possibly one of the hunters that had  
escorted them to the village. The green robe she wore seemed to confirm the fact that he was at least correct in guessing she was one of the patrolling warriors. The other was not one he recognized. Her garments were deep blue, the hem and belt trimmed with silver thread. A thin silver circlet adorned her head, though it was mostly hidden under her bangs.  
  
Shippo blinked and huddled closer to Kagome, hoping he hadn't angered the youkai by disturbing their work.  
  
The demon in blue merely raised an eyebrow, then turned back to the map, indicating something as the other followed suit.  
  
The kitsune sighed in relief, sagging against Kagome's head. When the two windwalkers turned once more and began walking across the hut, he began to fear he'd been wrong in assuming he was in no danger from the demons. Wide-eyed, Shippo watched as the hunter female nodded to Maruku and left the hut. He nearly fell off Kagome's shoulder as he spun back to face the other windwalker, clutching at her shirt to keep himself from tumbling to the ground.  
  
"Ow, Shippo! Your claws may be small, but they still hurt," Kagome muttered, reaching up to ease his hands away.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kagome!" The kitsune let go of her shirt in favor of hugging her neck in apology. "I didn't mean to hurt you!"  
  
"I know, Shippo, I know. Could you keep your voice down a bit? What's going on?"  
  
Unbeknownst to Kagome, the remaining female windwalker was watching the pair, one corner of her mouth kicked up slightly in amusement.  
  
Shippo, however, did notice the demon staring at him. "Kagome!" he cried, once again directly in the girl's ear. He hid his face in her hair and tightened his hold.  
  
"Shippo, would you... please let go? I can't... breathe," Kagome got out, trying to pry the little fox demon's fingers away from her neck. Why had she bothered to ask him to let go of her shirt? That was preferable to his cutting off her air supply. "What is the problem?"  
  
"Shippo, is it?" a new voice chimed in, startling both the girl and the kitsune into staying perfectly still.   
  
Shippo was nearly cowering in fright on Kagome's shoulder. He refused to look up, wishing himself invisible. He almost thought he'd succeeded when someone tapping him on the back shattered his hopes. The kitsune slowly peeked out from under the girl's hair, only to be greeted by the same blue eyes that had been fixed on him earlier.  
  
"I do not bite," the windwalker coaxed.  
  
Shippo just stared back.  
  
The youkai shook her head, stepping back to ease the kitsune's nerves. She rolled her shoulders back, wings shifting and resettling with the motion. "Forgive me for not introducing myself right away. I am Tamaeri," she addressed the rest of the group, inclining her head in greeting.  
  
Miroku took that as his cue. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady," he responded with a bow and a charming smile. "I am called Miroku."  
  
Tamaeri nodded. "The monk with the air void in his hand."  
  
Miroku cocked his head to the side at her observation. "Yes, unfortunately that is my curse, my lady," he sighed. "Rumors seem to spread far."  
  
The windwalker gave him a small grin in return. "Of course. The forest is always listening." She paused a moment before adding, "They say other things about you as well, which I am certain do not need to be mentioned in present company."  
  
The monk looked away, rubbing the back of his neck in slight embarrassment. "It goes with the curse," he muttered defensively.  
  
Sango snorted at his comment, keeping her own opinion otherwise to herself.  
  
Tamaeri then turned to the demon exterminator. "And you are?"  
  
"Sango, Lady Tamaeri," she told the demon, giving a small bow of respect as Miroku had done. "Thank you for inviting us into your village."  
  
"You are all welcome." As with Miroku, the windwalker paused a moment. She inclined her head respectfully to Sango, her expression growing more serious. "I have heard what happened to your people. I am very sorry for your loss."  
  
The demon exterminator's voice was quiet. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Thank you."  
  
"I, too, know the need to avenge members of my family, though my pain does not run as deep as yours."  
  
Sango opened her eyes, nodding to acknowledge Tamaeri's statement.  
  
The winged youkai's lips quirked in the same tiny smile she'd given earlier. "Would you like to know how many of us there are in the two clans residing here?"  
  
The demon exterminator's brows lowered in confusion, before she caught onto the teasing note in the windwalker's voice. "Oh dear," she murmured with a small giggle, covering her mouth with her hand. With all the other things the windwalker seemed to know, was it really so amazing that she'd heard how legendary her race had been among the youkai hunters? "It is truly an honor to meet you, Lady," Sango blurted out, hoping the lower light inside the hut would hide the pinkness of her cheeks.   
  
"As it is for me," Tamaeri told her, before turning her gaze to Shippo once more.  
  
The kitsune had finally released Kagome's neck, moving to perch on Inuyasha's shoulder. He felt less threatened staying between the girl and the hanyou, and had ignored Inuyasha's small growl of protest. Now that the windwalker's eyes were focused on him again, he wasn't sure moving had been such a good idea. "Um... I-I'm Shippo," he squeaked out, shifting nervously from foot to foot.  
  
"Hold still, brat," Inuyasha barked out quietly, reaching up a hand to put a halt the little fox demon's movement.  
  
Tamaeri smiled at Shippo, ignoring Inuyasha for the moment. "Am I really so frightening?"  
  
The kitsune slowly shook his head. "Sorry," he muttered, quickly adding "Lady Tamaeri" before anyone could scold him for forgetting his manners.   
  
She nodded, then patted him on the head.  
  
Shippo almost ducked, but stopped himself just in time. Before he could say anything more, the windwalker had moved on to Kagome.  
  
Inuyasha took the lead on the introductions for once, drawing Tamaeri's attention away from the girl standing beside him. "She's Kagome, and--"  
  
"You are Inuyasha."   
  
The interruption did not surprise the hanyou. Marieko had known who he was, and this youkai seemed to know even more about their small band. He nodded to Tamaeri, golden eyes narrowing slightly when the winged demon turned back to Kagome.  
  
She said nothing for a moment, merely inspected the girl who was unaware of the close scrutiny. "Forgive me, I had not heard the young priestess who can detect the Shikon no Tama was blind," she murmured quietly.  
  
Kagome gasped, the grip she still had on Inuyasha's arm growing tighter. "I--"  
  
"It is not my place to ask of such things," Tamaeri informed them, steadily meeting Inuyasha's ominous glare.  
  
Kagome shifted closer to the hanyou, raising her free hand to cover the frantic beating of her heart.  
  
Maruku broke the uncomfortable silence that followed in his leader's wake. "My lady, the festival will begin soon."  
  
Tamaeri turned to the hunter and nodded. "I know. The others have returned, and I must hear their reports." She sighed and looked past the group to the few windwalkers that had entered the hut as she spoke. "Maruku, please show our guests where they may rest. Please, make yourselves at home here. Unfortunately, I have other duties calling and can not show you around myself. I will see you again later this evening." With the last addressed to the group, she strode to the other side of the room, following another winged demon towards the map she had been studying earlier.  
  
"This way," Maruku called, leading the way out through the doorway.  
  
Inuyasha watched the windwalker leader through narrowed eyes before he was forced to turn away and guide Kagome out of the hut. 


	15. Mommy Says This, Daddy Says That

Sorry these chapters are coming out so slowly, guys. I've got tons of stuff to do for the end of the semester (I'm sure I'm not the only one). So writing is getting done when it gets done. Hope you enjoy this chapter! :) If anyone wants to, they can go read my non-fanfic stuff... :)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 15: Mommy Says This, Daddy Says That  
  
  
"I am Sakujirou, ruler of all windwalkers! All must bow before me! No one can defeat me!"  
  
"Don't be so sure about that, Sakujirou! I, Raitarou, will end your reign of terror over my people!"  
  
Kagome could hear grunting and what sounded like wood pieces slamming together after the young youkai declared what parts they were playing in the current skit. She was resting against a tree trunk on the edge of the crowd of winged demons who watched the performances. There was no point in her sitting with Sango and Miroku, who had managed to acquire spots fairly close to the front, according to Shippo. The kitsune had remained with her for a few of the acting groups, but had complained he could not see over all the heads in front of him. Kagome encouraged him to go to the other two humans, promising she would not be offended if he left her. With a small hug, the little fox demon had bounded off, somewhat to the girl's relief. He'd been dutifully describing the scenes to her, but she'd stopped him after the first two. Needing someone else to tell her what was going on ruined the illusion she was trying to maintain while sitting against the tree-- that everything was normal for the moment. This was just another shard-hunting trip, just another stop for the night in a nearby village.  
  
From what she'd heard so far, the performances currently going on were the second part of the festival. The first had been a parade of all the young ones participating. Maruku's mate, Nadira, had told the group what the festivities consisted of when they were shown to the hut beside hers.  
  
Sango had described the parade, though without going into minute detail on the costumes, as Shippo had been doing. The young windwalkers led the way down the path through the village, starting from the huts furthest away, and moving towards Lady Tamaeri's dwelling. Once there, the demon leader had given a signal for the children to shift into bird-form, and they led the way down into the clearing where the rest of the events were to take place.  
  
The adults soon followed, Maruku, Marieko, and Nadira leading their guests. Kagome, Sango, and Miroku rode astride Kirara, Shippo in the monk's arms, while Inuyasha leapt from branch to branch among the trees.  
  
Food was ready and waiting once everyone had arrived, a couple of large fire pits roaring to keep whatever was roasting fresh and hot.  
  
The smells were unfamiliar to Kagome, though not unpleasant. Sango had led her through the line for some sort of stew, then helped her find a place to sit. Miroku and Shippo joined them shortly after, the monk setting his bowl down and walking away, only to return with three crude mugs of tea. Inuyasha, having been left to his own devices, had forced his way into the lines, grabbing whatever was closest before making his way to the edge of the crowds so he could find the other members of his party.  
  
Instead of joining them on the ground, however, he leapt into the tree Kagome was leaning against, intent on wolfing down his food in relative solitude.  
  
"Inuyasha, why are you not joining us down here?" Miroku had asked, but the hanyou gave no answer.  
  
"Inuyasha?" Kagome called, leaning her head back even though she could not see him.  
  
"I can see better from up here," he finally grumbled down at her.  
  
"Oh," was all the girl said in response. Was he still worried for their safety? It appeared he was, though without being able to read his mind, she could not be sure. Even if she had been able to look at the expression on his face, she probably still would not be able to make out what he was thinking.  
  
Once everyone had been fed, the play-acting began. The windwalkers had settled in a half-circle, facing the far side of the clearing. Torches had been set up around the perimeter, and here and there among the demons, to make up for the weakening daylight. The group had been invited to join Maruku and his family, but only Sango and Miroku took him up on the offer.  
  
Now that the skits were underway and all but Inuyasha had abandoned her, Kagome was left to her own thoughts. She let her mind drift through the events of the past few days, only half-listening to the mock fight.  
  
"H'lo, lady," a childishly high voice broke through her stream of thought, causing the girl to nearly jump in surprise.  
  
"Hello...?" she replied, making the greeting almost a question, wondering if her visitor had merely called to her in passing, or if they stood next to her still.  
  
"You're dressed funny," the voice came again.  
  
Kagome chuckled at the comment, realizing the speaker must indeed be a child. One of the windwalker young, no doubt, as Shippo was the only child traveling with their group. "Yes, I am. I'm from another country."  
  
"Oh. So why are you not there?"  
  
The girl wasn't exactly sure how to answer the question. "Um... well... I'm helping my friends look for something."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Kagome wondered if the child was going to leave the statement and wander off, or if they would question her once more. She did not have to wait long for her answer.  
  
"What are you looking for?"  
  
"A... Um, pieces of a jewel." How much could she tell a child? Would it really matter? Mentally shaking her head, Kagome knew that she really should only give as simple a version of their story as she could. The young demon would never really know the difference.  
  
"Why's it in pieces?"  
  
"Well, because I broke it." The girl ducked her head to hide the blush she could feel rising in her cheeks.  
  
"Why'd you do that?"  
  
The child was persistent, if nothing else, she thought, lifting her face towards the voice again. "It was an accident."  
  
That apparently satisfied her visitor. At least temporarily, since they did not respond for a moment or two. "Well, did you say you were sorry? Mommy always says that makes things better, so I have to make sure and 'pologize when I do something wrong, even if it's an ac-ci-dent." The last word was emphasized syllable by syllable, as if the word were something he or she was still trying to master.  
  
Kagome grinned. "Yes, I did say I was sorry. But I still have to help find the pieces, so we can put it all back together again."  
  
"Oh. I helped Daddy put the pieces of a bowl back together one time. It was broken, 'cause Mommy threw it at him."  
  
The girl chuckled, shaking her head at the innocent things children could say that managed to embarrass their parents.  
  
A slight rustling came from her side, though it didn't sound like the young youkai was leaving her. "You don't have wings," came the newest comment, once the rustling had stopped.  
  
"That's right, I don't. I'm a human. We don't have wings." At least the subject of the Shikon no Tama had been dropped.  
  
"How come?"  
  
How on earth was she supposed to answer that? Kagome pursed her lips, trying to think of some way to explain the difference between herself and the windwalkers. "Well, we just don't have them," she finally came up with. 'Wonderful reason,' she added to herself sarcastically. "We don't need to fly," she lied, hoping the child would buy what she'd said.  
  
"Then how do you get up to your home?"  
  
"We don't live in the trees like you do," she replied, thankful that was an easy question to respond to. "Our villages are made on the ground, so we don't have to climb or fly up to them."  
  
"Oh." Another pause. "Well I have wings. Mommy says they're different, 'cause they're darker gray, instead of black or white. See?"  
  
More rustling came from her right. The child must've turned around and stretched out the wings that sprouted from his or her back, to allow her to get a better view.  
  
Kagome sighed, leaning her head back against the rough bark behind her. "I'm sorry. I can't see them," she told the young windwalker quietly. "I'm sure they're very beautiful."  
  
"You can't see? How come?"  
  
Taking a deep breath, Kagome tilted her head slightly to the right against the tree. "Well, I was... hurt... by a youkai."  
  
"Oh. It must've been a mean one, if it hurt you."  
  
One corner of the girl's mouth tilted up in a wry smile. "Yes, it was. It was after my friends and I."  
  
"Was it going to eat you? Daddy says I have to stay with him or Mommy or Uncle Maruku or Marieko, well, with somebody big, so that nothing will eat me."  
  
The mention of familiar names snagged Kagome's curiosity. "Maruku's your uncle?"  
  
"Yup. Isn't he the best? He gets to go out and make sure everybody's safe, and fight other demons and... stuff."  
  
"He is pretty cool," Kagome agreed, but before she could ask if her suspicions about the child's parents, well at least their mother, were correct, her visitor chimed in once more.  
  
"'Cool?' You mean he's cold?"  
  
The girl laughed, shaking her head. "No. It's a word we use in my country to mean something or someone that is really... well, like your uncle." She waved her hand around, trying to come up with some other way to describe what the word meant. "Um... someone you really like, that you'd like to be like when you're older."  
  
"Oh. Cool!" the child giggled, excited over the new addition to their vocabulary.   
  
Kagome wondered just what sort of effect her teaching the young windwalker a word from the future would have on his race. If they were like most children, the others of the same age would quickly pick it up as well...  
  
"I'm can't wait to tell Uncle Maruku--" the child babbled on, bringing the girl's attention back to the question she'd had a few moments earlier.  
  
"Who are your mother and father?"  
  
"My mommy's name is Tamaeri and my daddy's name is Morihiko. He's not here right now, though. He went to visit a friend, Mommy said."  
  
So the windwalker leader's mate was possibly not dead, as Kagome had guessed he might be earlier, from what Marieko had said. But where was he, then? Could have been killed and Tamaeri just did not have the heart to tell her own child that their father would never return? Surely that would raise too many questions later?  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"I'm Kagome," the girl replied, her mind still mulling over the new information.  
  
"I'm Tamiko," he replied proudly. "I was named after my daddy's uncle. 'Cause he was really cool." He giggled again at the use of the foreign word.  
  
A boy, then, Kagome thought absently. Was he an only child?  
  
"Would you... would.... can..."   
  
From what she could hear, Tamiko was moving around a bit, his voice sounding somewhat strained, as if he was reaching for something. "What is it?"  
  
"Could... Would you please scratch my back for me? I can't reach."  
  
Kagome giggled at the request, beckoning the boy closer. "Of course. One of those hard-to-reach spots, huh?"  
  
"Uh-huh."   
  
Tamiko moved closer to her side and knelt down, waiting for her to reach up and ease the itch.  
  
Tentatively, the girl lifted her hand, her fingertips brushing against something soft before she felt bare skin. "Where?" she asked, shifting slightly to the side.  
  
"A little higher... no, too high... right there." The young windwalker sighed happily as she found the spot he couldn't scratch himself.  
  
'Must be harder with his wings in the way,' Kagome thought, marveling at the texture of the feathers her fingers were brushing against.   
  
When the boy shifted his shoulders, she stopped scratching, wishing she could feel more of his wings but not wanting to be rude in asking. "Your wings are so soft...," she said instead, drawing her hand away slowly.  
  
"Yup. They are. Mommy says they're going to get more like hers and Daddy's later. But I don't want them to change. Here, you want to feel some more?"  
  
Before she could reply, Tamiko had taken her hand and placed it against a large patch of his wing.  
  
Kagome kept her hand still for a moment before gently sliding her fingers along the downy feathers.  
  
"See, I bet you wish you had wings now, huh."  
  
The girl nodded, smiling as she pulled her hand away. "Yes, I do."  
  
"Maybe Daddy could give you some," the boy enthused. "He's good at fixing things."  
  
Kagome shook her head. "No, I don't think he could give me any. I wasn't born with them, like you were, and I'm not supposed to have them."  
  
"Well... I could still ask him when he comes back."  
  
She smiled, knowing Tamiko would probably forget by the time his father returned, whenever that might be.  
  
"Of course you can, but I don't think--"  
  
"Uh oh. Mommy's mad," the boy cut her off. "I guess I better go, before she starts yelling really loud." He ran a couple of steps away before coming back and patting her on the shoulder. "I'll come talk to you later, 'Gome. Bye!"  
  
Seconds later, Kagome was alone once again. She sat where Tamiko had left her, brow furrowed in puzzlement. The boy had heard his mother? She hadn't, though. Not even a high-pitched bird-like trilling. Had she spoken to him telepathically? That had to be the only way. If that was the case, then it wasn't just something some of the older demons had learned to do, but was part of their genetic heritage.  
  
Her attention was finally drawn towards the crowds of winged youkai still watching the performances going on. One of the children on stage apparently said or did something funny, for the quiet chatter was soon interrupted by loud laughter.  
  
If the windwalkers were telepathic, could they talk to others who weren't of their race? The next thought caused her a bit of distress. Could they read minds?   
  
She probably should not mention her discovery to Inuyasha just yet-- the hanyou would most likely become even more suspicious of the demons, and force her and the others to leave without finding out what the windwalkers wanted. That or confront the winged youkai's leader with his sword... No, telling Inuyasha at this point was definitely a bad idea. 


	16. Come Together

And the chapters just get longer and longer... Thanks to all of you who keep reviewing! :)  
  
1 month of school left for the semester! Although that unfortunately means only about 6 more months of it until I'm out in the real world, hopefully with a job. Anybody know of any beginning programming positions in the Indianapolis area? ::Sigh:: Guess I need to get cracking on the big job hunt. Now that you all know I'm going crazy with that, and final papers, and ... (you get the idea), on with the story! Enjoy :)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 16: Come Together  
  
  
One corner of Inuyasha's mouth rose, accompanying the low chuckle he couldn't help but let loose. One of the young performers was quite the little ham, much to the delight of his captive audience. Though he'd tried to keep his eyes and ears open for anything out of the ordinary, there were a few times he'd been drawn to pay attention to the scenes being acted out further away in the clearing. Until the windwalker child struck up a conversation with Kagome below his perch in the tree. Then the hanyou had ignored the skits for the most part, listening avidly to what the young demon had to say.   
  
He let out a snort when the tale of their search for the Shikon no Tama was reduced to a comparison with putting the pieces of a simple bowl back together. If only it was such an unwanted item that no one else would want anything to do with it.  
  
Kagome seemed to have a way with children, though. At least the two he'd now seen her with-- Shippo, and this winged boy. Make that three, including her brother as well. The girl answered the little demon's questions in as simple a way possible, and never once lost her patience when she was asked one thing after another. He had no idea how she could sit and listen to the child chatter on with no point whatsoever. At least the boy wasn't as annoying as Shippo.  
  
With the mention of Kagome's blindness, Inuyasha's ears drooped. The girl had never blamed him, but that didn't mean he had let go of the guilt he felt. With all the times he'd come close to losing her, he should be happy she was merely blinded. But if it wasn't for him, nothing would've happened to her in the first place.  
  
The hanyou sat up almost straight against the tree trunk, ears perking up once more, when the conversation below him brought up the subject of the windwalker leader. Unknowingly, he came to the same conclusion as Kagome. Tamaeri's mate was missing, not necessarily dead. Where was he? Had he defected and joined up with some rival clan? Had he been exiled for the same reason, or one like it, that the female they'd met with, Shiori, had been? Whatever the youkai had done, it seemed to have involved Maruku and his brother, who, from what the windwalker child had said, were siblings of his own father.  
  
Inuyasha's mind continued to run through possibilities as the discussion below faded. He absently watched Kagome and the boy, eyes narrowed in thought. Was the fact that her mate was absent what it seemed Tamaeri had been hiding? His gaze turned from the two on the ground, towards the crowds of winged youkai. He'd long before pinpointed the windwalker leader's location, along with that of Maruku and Miroku, Sango, and Shippo.  
  
The others were enjoying the performance. He could tell by the wide smiles on their faces. The monk seemed to be behaving himself for once, though that was most likely because Shippo sat between him and Sango.  
  
The hanyou's eyes drifted past the trio, moving on to Tamaeri as his thoughts returned to their earlier meeting.  
  
Inuyasha heard Kagome sigh, the small, lonely sound dragging his amber gaze away from where the windwalker child had joined his mother moments before. The girl below him had leaned back, resting her head against the tree. Her eyes were closed, brow furrowed a bit in thought.   
  
She sighed again and her blue-gray eyes opened, gazing upwards sightlessly. It was slightly unnerving, but he knew she couldn't see him staring down at her. The sad expression on her face pulled at his heart. Before he could think about it and change his mind, he shifted on the branch so he could drop down beside her.  
  
The rush of air and quiet rustle of the fabric of his clothes startled Kagome into jerking away from the tree and to the side. She leaned back on her hands, breathing quickly.  
  
"It's just me, Kagome," Inuyasha reassured the frightened girl, settling down on the ground next to the spot she'd occupied.  
  
"Oh, sorry, Inuyasha." She gave a nervous giggle before slowly scooting back against the tree trunk. "I forgot you were up there." She ducked her head, fingers absently smoothing her skirt over her legs.  
  
They sat in silence for a moment, Inuyasha looking around at the windwalkers still watching the performances. Now that he'd joined Kagome on the ground, he wasn't sure what to do or say, and so stuck to what he'd been doing while up on the branch-- surveying their surroundings.  
  
Kagome reached up and fiddled with her hair, wanting to break the quiet. The audience clapped, indicating the end of yet another skit, and giving her at least some way to try and start a conversation. "Some of them must be pretty good, huh, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Some of what?" he questioned absently.  
  
"The skits. Did you watch any of them?"   
  
Inuyasha didn't answer.  
  
'So much for attempting to talk to him,' Kagome thought, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her face away.  
  
"Some."   
  
It was several minutes later that the hanyou finally responded. Kagome had already forgotten what it was she had asked. She turned back to him with a puzzled look on her face. "Some what?"  
  
Inuyasha focused most of his attention on the girl beside him, keeping half an ear open to everything else. "You asked if I'd watched any of the skits?"  
  
"Oh. Yeah. Sorry," she muttered.  
  
The hanyou studied her for a moment before shaking his head and turning back to the youkai.  
  
"Were they good?"  
  
Inuyasha let out a snort and faced her. "What, you think I'm here for entertainment?"  
  
"I... No. Just forget it," she sighed, leaning her head back and slouching lower against the tree.  
  
"Keh," the hanyou replied, turning away in slight annoyance. "You were the one who wanted to talk." That wasn't quite the truth, but having her angry and possibly yelling at him was better than the strained silence creeping over them.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"What is it with you, wench?" he growled. "You usually won't shut up. And now, you ask me something, then tell me to forget it?"  
  
"Just leave it, Inuyasha," she murmured quietly. "It doesn't matter."  
  
"What if I don't want to leave it?" the hanyou gritted out.   
  
The threatening glare was totally lost on Kagome, however. She didn't respond, merely turned her face away.  
  
"Keh. Stupid wench," Inuyasha muttered, pounding on the ground with a fist before standing up. Joining the girl on the ground had been a stupid idea anyway.  
  
"Stay!"  
  
The quiet entreaty stopped the hanyou from leaping immediately into the tree. He looked back down at Kagome, staring at the hand she held up in the hopes of stopping him from leaving.  
  
"Please...?"  
  
He didn't move, torn between returning to solitude and keeping the sad expression off her face. He watched as the unwanted emotion chased its way back across her features and her hand dropped to her side.  
  
Sighing defeatedly, he plopped into a cross-legged position beside her once more.  
  
"I'm sorry. If you don't want to, you don't have to sit here with me," Kagome told him as the uncomfortable silence returned.  
  
Inuyasha grunted, folding his arms over his chest and staring moodily at the performers he could faintly see through a small gap in the gathering of winged youkai.  
  
Kagome wished she could see him. She'd learned to judge some of what he was feeling from the way his ears lay, and now she wasn't even able to use those clues. "Inuyasha... are you mad at me?" she ventured, hoping she wouldn't provoke him into actually abandoning her this time.  
  
"Should I be?" he returned, question for question.   
  
"I... I hope you aren't." She fiddled nervously with the ends of her uniform tie.   
  
Inuyasha turned to look at her, searching her face for some hint of what was truly bothering her. "What's wrong, Kagome?"  
  
Her hands paused in their twisting of the fabric. He was actually questioning what was bothering her? He hadn't asked that many times before... but then again, they were hardly ever alone. Someone else, namely Shippo or Sango, usually caught on to her moods sooner than the hanyou did. Or, at least, as far as he would admit. "I...," she started, biting her lip as she inwardly debated telling him. Taking a deep breath, she finally screwed up her courage. "I can't tell even a little bit of what you're thinking, or feeling. I can't see... can't see your ears," she muttered almost incomprehensibly.  
  
Of course Inuyasha, with his acute demon hearing, made out what she said fairly easily. He scowled, conscious now of the way his ears flattened slightly as he did so. "What the hell do my ears have to do with anything, wench?"  
  
Kagome held up a hand in a placating gesture and rushed to soothe his anger. "It's just... Well, I can usually at least tell if you're mad, or worried, or sometimes even a little happy, by looking at your ears. You don't notice it, because they're part of you."  
  
She could read him that easily? Maybe he'd have to start paying more attention to what he could be revealing without knowing it.  
  
She continued on, unaware that the hanyou's golden eyes had narrowed as he watched her. "And I can't even go by that now. So how am I supposed to tell--"  
  
"Keh, stupid wench," he interrupted. Before she could do more than gasp in protest, he'd grabbed her hand and dragged her closer. "If it means that much to you, here," he growled, lowering his head enough so she could reach the closest triangular ear. He dropped his own hand, allowing her free rein as he concentrated on relaxing.  
  
Kagome was too surprised to react at first. She stayed where she was, awkwardly leaning on one hand, the other resting against the hanyou's head. "Inu... yasha?"  
  
"Hurry up. I'm not likely to be so generous again."  
  
She shook her head and pulled herself up into a kneeling position, her free hand resting in her lap. Gently, she ran her fingers along the back of his soft ear, mimicking the way she'd traced the young windwalker's feathers earlier. Her fingertips found their way to the edge, teasing the short hairs growing there.   
  
Inuyasha resisted the urge to shiver at the touch he could feel all the way down to his toes. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all... He cut off that thought when he caught sight of the small smile lifting the corners of Kagome's lips. If it was making her happy... His eyes closed in pleasure as her fingers once again moved to scratch near the base of his ear, causing him to lean a bit into her hand.  
  
The youkai audience's clapping at the end of another skit startled him into realizing what he was doing. His eyes flew open and he was about to pull away when her hand slid lower, brushing through the lock of hair that rested over his shoulder. Inuyasha froze, unconsciously holding his breath.  
  
Kagome wasn't sure exactly what she was doing. She felt him go still and draw in a sharp breath. She never once stopped the movements of her hand, however, continuing to trail her fingertips along his cheek and up to his forehead. She traced each of his eyebrows, picturing them in her mind.  
  
Inuyasha clenched his hands into fists where they rested on his legs, finally taking a shallow gulp of air. He should stop her... but he couldn't move to do so. He closed his eyes obediently when her fingers lowered slightly to flutter along his eyelashes.  
  
Adding each feature to the mental image she was conjuring, Kagome followed a path from each one cheek, across his nose, to the other cheek, and then a bit lower. She hesitated for a barely noticeable moment of time. Before she could lose her nerve, she slowly traced her fingertips across his upper lip, the touch so light the hanyou wasn't sure if he imagined it or not. She repeated the action on his bottom lip, pausing slightly as it dawned on her what she'd just done.  
  
"Kagome..." Inuyasha whispered, the movement against her fingers shocking her into jerking away. She scooted away quickly, trying to take deep breaths and calm her rapidly beating heart. She clumsily felt her way along the tree and leaned against what she hoped was the opposite side. Drawing her knees to her chest, she rested her forehead on them to hide the fierce blush she could feel heating her cheeks.   
  
Inuyasha slowly opened his eyes, blinking to bring things back into focus. He was still breathing shallowly, the feel of Kagome's fingertips lingering in the absence of her touch. It took a moment for his thoughts to clear enough that he realized the girl wasn't sitting next to him. He sat up straighter, scanning the areas around him in case she'd managed to stumble off. He let his shoulders drop in relief when he spotted her shoe around the other side of the tree trunk.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he shifted to a crouch, intent on leaping back into the tree to deal with what had just occurred alone, but something in the way Kagome was sitting stopped him. Instead, he turned so his own back was against the tree, sitting close enough that he could touch the girl if he wanted. Close enough to reassure himself that she was there, yet far enough away that he could hopefully forget what he'd allowed her to do, and how it had affected him.  
  
Kagome calmed down bit by bit, her back easing against the rough bark of the tree behind her. What on earth had possessed her to do such a thing? Inuyasha would probably be truly angry with her now. He'd been allowing her to touch his ear, nothing else. She'd taken a huge chance when her fingers moved down to his face. But she had needed to reconcile his voice with the image she held of him in her mind, remind herself so she wouldn't lose the memory of his face.  
  
But... he hadn't stopped her...  
  
Her mind circling around that thought, she shivered slightly at the cool breeze that was beginning to blow through the clearing.  
  
Inuyasha glanced at her at the same moment, catching the tremor as it ran down her back. Impulsively, he reached a hand to her shoulder. "Kagome," he called softly, so as not to startle her with the contact.  
  
The girl jerked her head up, blind eyes wide as she turned her face towards him.  
  
Without saying another word, he drew his hand down her arm to her wrist and pulled slightly, to indicate she should get up.   
  
Unsure of what he wanted, she shifted to her knees, then to her feet.  
  
The hanyou pulled her around and in front of him before turning her and taking her other wrist to guide her down into his lap.  
  
Kagome sat still as he wrapped his arms around her, unsure of what she was supposed to do, or think.  
  
"You were cold," Inuyasha explained when he noticed the confusion on her face.   
  
Apparently it was all the reason he was going to give.   
  
Slowly, she relaxed, allowing the heat he gave off to seep into her. Resolving not to question his actions until she had a clearer mind, she shifted slightly in his hold to make herself more comfortable. "Thank you, Inuyasha," she quietly told him, not quite sure whether she meant for his understanding or for sharing his warmth, or both.  
  
"Stop squirming." Though his tone was gruff, his arms tightened about her. 


	17. Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accep...

Wow... I'm just floored, guys. :) Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! And I promise, the next time I think of something like "Baby Love" I will write it up to share with you all :)   
  
Sorry this took so long... it just did not want to be written.  
  
Also, thanks to Zel no Miko who pointed out the oddball word in chapter 16... yes, now I realize I did have Kagome say 'sit' and Inuyasha didn't go slamming to the ground. For all intents and purposes, I think I'm going to go with the dubbed version's way of having her say 'sit, boy' instead of just plain 'sit' to distinguish between the two. Yes, it's cheesy, but I'm not sure when I'll have the opportunity to use it anyway. So, I hope that's okay with you all :)  
  
Donations of goldfish (the snack that smiles back) and skittles always accepted.  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 17: Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept...  
  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
The hanyou's head shot up at the hesitant call of his name. His heart rate began to slow as he recognized Sango, Kirara in her arms. Fortunately, neither Miroku nor Shippo was with the demon exterminator. He glared at her anyway, for disrupting the quiet that had surrounded him and Kagome.  
  
Kagome had fallen asleep in his lap, his warmth and the soft buzz of chatter from the windwalkers lulling her into slumber. He'd been in the process of shifting her so he could stretch his legs when he'd heard Sango's voice.  
  
If she was surprised at seeing them together as they were, the demon exterminator didn't show it. "Lady Tamaeri requested we meet with her in the morning."  
  
Inuyasha's eyes tracked past Sango, to where he'd last seen the windwalker and her son sitting in the crowd. Somehow, he'd managed to lose track of them. The hanyou scowled at his own distractedness. The winged youkai must've departed while he was busy trying not to wake Kagome up as he moved.  
  
"If you're looking for her, she just retired for the night. With her little boy. Such a cute child, too," the demon exterminator added, following Inuyasha's gaze to the crowds of youkai. "All of them are. Their wings look so soft... Were you watching any of the skits, Inuyasha?"  
  
Sango turned around, only to find Inuyasha watching some point past her, eyes narrowed. He was tense, as if ready to spring up at any moment, the only thing apparently preventing him from doing so being Kagome, who was still sleeping in his lap. She looked over her shoulder, one eyebrow raised in question.  
  
"Sango!" she heard shortly before a small ball of russet fur with a bushy tail tackled her shoulder. Shippo grinned at her excitedly. "Did you see it? Did you see that one? They-- Kagome! Did you see?"  
  
A growl from Inuyasha stopped the kitsune when he would've leapt off of the demon exterminator's shoulder towards Kagome. The low, menacing sound warned that the little fox demon's presence was very unwelcome-- to come any closer was to face the consequences.  
  
Sango held Shippo back with one hand as he cocked his head in surprise at the hanyou. "She's asleep, Shippo. And remember, she wouldn't be able to see the skit, so there's no reason to wake her up over it. I don't think it would be very nice to remind her what she's missing out on," she murmured, trying to tamp down her amusement at Inuyasha's reaction to Shippo's arrival.   
  
The kitsune sat back on her shoulder, considering the sight of the half dog demon with Kagome in his arms. Even if it didn't look like he wanted her there at that particular moment. "Well, you must've finally said or did something right, Inuyasha," he commented, oblivious to the scowl he received in return. "Considering you usually mess things up one way or another, and we end up with Kagome mad at you, and Miroku trying to give you advice, and me getting hit in the head for-- Eep!" he yipped and latched on to Sango's neck when he realized the low rumbling noise was coming from Inuyasha, and that the hanyou looked ready to throw the girl in his lap to the ground in favor of capturing a certain kitsune and doing who-knows-what unnamable terrors to him as punishment.  
  
Miroku chose that moment to join the others. He took one look at Inuyasha with Kagome in his arms and grinned widely.   
  
"If you say one word, monk...," the hanyou let the barked threat trail off, baring his teeth.  
  
Miroku held up his hands in surrender, still grinning.  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
The sleepy, disoriented voice drew all of their attention to Kagome, who had been awakened by the loud, sharp tone of the half dog demon's voice. "What's going on?" she asked, rubbing her eyes with her fists. Her eyes opened and blinked in surprise, her mind still muzzy and disoriented. The girl's shoulders slumped a bit later as her brain sluggishly made the connection and brought her fully awake, registering in seconds the events that lead up to where she presently was-- she was blind, they were summoned to the windwalker's village by Lady Tamaeri, the leader, and somehow she'd managed to fall asleep on Inuyasha.  
  
"Lady Tamaeri wants to meet with us in the morning," Sango told Kagome, trying to draw the other girl's attention away from her condition and onto a somewhat brighter topic. "It's late, and the performances are almost over. We should head back to the village and get some rest."  
  
"I can show you the way back, if you'd like," Marieko put in as she strode up to the group, yawning. "After all the excitement today I'm almost dead on my feet. And I'm certain you all must be too."  
  
"Thank you, Lady Marieko. We would be honored if you would escort us back to your village," Miroku replied with a small bow to the windwalker.  
  
Sango and Shippo rolled their eyes. "You never change, do you," the demon exterminator muttered as she walked past Miroku to stand beside Marieko.  
  
"Are you two coming?" the monk asked Inuyasha and Kagome, who hadn't yet moved to follow the others.  
  
"As soon as I get some of the feeling back in my legs," the hanyou grumbled, the comment aimed pointedly at Kagome. In his shifting her earlier, he'd apparently placed her right in a spot that pinched a nerve.  
  
"Oh! Sorry, Inuyasha!" Kagome laughed sheepishly, quickly scrambling to crawl off his lap and to the side.  
  
Miroku shook his head and chuckled, striding towards where Sango stood with their guide.  
  
"It's not as if I need to be shown the way like you humans," the hanyou called after him.  
  
"Well, then, don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Miroku threw over his shoulder as he, Sango, and Marieko moved off into the darkness.  
  
"Keh. What wouldn't he do," Inuyasha muttered, pushing himself to his still-a-bit-unsteady feet.  
  
Kagome ducked her head to hide the blush she could feel rushing over her cheeks.   
  
"Come on," she heard Inuyasha mumble a minute later. She held out her hand, hoping the tell-tale pink tinge was gone as he helped her to her feet.  
  
  
  
"I hope you enjoyed the festivities last night?"  
  
"Indeed, my lady. They were quite entertaining," Miroku answered Tamaeri's question as the windwalker gestured for each of them to join her in sitting on the cushions placed on the floor of her hut. "You have some very talented young ones."  
  
"Including your son, Lady Tamaeri," Sango added with a smile as she waited for Inuyasha to lead Kagome around to her other side. Despite Miroku's teasing about the night before, the hanyou had taken up his role as the girl's guide with no complaint.  
  
"Thank you," the windwalker chuckled. "I agree, he is one to play right to your heart, isn't he?"  
  
Sango and Miroku both nodded in response.   
  
After a moment of silence, Tamaeri looked around the group and began to speak once again, this time in a much more business-like tone. "I am sure you would like to know why I invited you to our village."  
  
Inuyasha's ears perked up, and he turned from staring out the window with a bored expression to focus intently on the winged demon's face. His arms were, as usual, folded across his chest.  
  
"Marieko, I am certain, has mentioned the fact that my mate could not be here for the festival last night." She waited for their nods of affirmation before going on.  
  
"He has not been here for several phases of the moon, actually." Tamaeri stopped, looking at the floor in the center of their loose circle and taking a deep breath. "He was kidnapped," she announced when she lifted her head. "Morihiko is a healer. He was out tending to one of the wounded members of his-- our clan that can no longer fly. A few of the hunters were with him, but we never expected an attack. One of them returned with just enough breath to deliver a message to me." The windwalker's eyes closed in pain.   
  
She again took a steadying breath, and when she continued, her voice was detached, as if trying to distance herself from the situation. "I was to renounce myself as leader, and declare Ataru, my-- the male child of my father's brother, would take my place as ruler of our clans if I wanted to see Morihiko again.  
  
"It took my hunters many, many days to find out where he had been taken. While they were searching, I received a couple of other messages from Ataru. He was letting me know Morihiko was still alive, though that might not last, and demanding an answer to his request."  
  
When the winged youkai paused for a moment, Kagome tentatively spoke up. "So your mate is not... has not been..." She couldn't finish the sentence, but Tamaeri caught on to what she wanted without further prompting.  
  
"No. Killing Morihiko as he did the others with him would be too kind. Ataru is too cruel to simply do that. That is the only reason I am certain my mate is still living. None of my hunters have been able to get past the guards that surround Ataru's stronghold, now that we have found it."  
  
"Have you... spoken to him?" the girl asked hesitantly.  
  
Tamaeri looked at Kagome in surprise. The question threw her off guard. "I... yes. Only three times. And then, only briefly."  
  
"Wait, you talked to him?" Inuyasha demanded, restraining the urge to yell as he alternated between glaring at the windwalker and the girl, ears twitching agitatedly.   
  
"Yes." The clipped answer was all he received in response as the winged demon turned to focus on Kagome. "How did you know my people are telepathic?"  
  
"I just figured it out from something Marieko said...," the girl replied sheepishly, fidgeting with the edge of her skirt.  
  
"I see."  
  
"So why the hell do you need us?" Inuyasha growled impatiently.   
  
Kagome reached a hand to his arm to stop any further comments. He shrugged it off forcefully, angry that she had kept the information from him.  
  
"Morihiko had just enough time to tell me he was being attacked, and nothing more, before he was knocked unconscious. Ataru has kept him drugged to ensure his silence." The cool mask Tamaeri had dropped at Kagome's question was back in place as she related the facts to those before her. The faint tremor in her voice betrayed the calm facade, however. "Twice Morihiko has been able to resist the drugs running through his system enough that he was able to tell me he was alive, but someone there discovered his ploy, beating him back into unconsciousness and severing our connection."  
  
Inuyasha snorted, amber gaze pointedly fixed on the windwalker. "What could possibly be in it for us if we help you?"  
  
Tamaeri held up a hand. "I know who you are, and what it is you seek. I have heard much of your small band, of the power each of you holds, and of the aid you have given to many of the human villagers." She paused, wings loosening and resettling against her back as if steeling herself to deliver the rest of her speech. "Several moons ago, I sent some of the hunters to try and break Morihiko out of his prison. Again, only one returned to me, his will the only thing giving him the strength to live. Ataru would have been defeated easily, were it not for the shards of Shikon no Tama that he carries."  
  
The information drew gasps from Kagome, Sango, and Shippo. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and he bared his teeth. Miroku merely looked surprised.  
  
"I know not how he came upon them," the windwalker continued. "Only that he has them. That is how he was able to kill the hunters I've sent-- he used them to augment his already twisted skills. Ataru is a healer, like Morihiko, though he has never once put the abilities to good use. He prefers to inflict pain, not treat it."  
  
"So, this Ataru kidnapped your mate on his own?" Miroku asked, drawing Tamaeri's attention his way.  
  
"No. He has gathered a small army of his own, exiled criminals, and rebels who believe he is the rightful leader. It was they who assisted him in capturing Morihiko. I understand you met up with Shiori?"  
  
"Yes, Lady. Maruku helped us to recover the shards she had," the monk responded.  
  
Tamaeri nodded. "She was given those by Ataru. Shiori was banished several moon phases ago, along with many of his other followers, for attempting to assassinate me, and Morihiko."  
  
"How many shards does he have?" Inuyasha growled, thinking the youkai would have to have several, given that Shiori had two herself.  
  
"I am not certain. The hunter who informed me that Ataru had them only heard about the shards from one of the guards."  
  
Inuyasha tried to picture how much of the jewel they had restored. Naraku certainly had a few pieces, but could this new enemy possibly have very many?  
  
Silence fell as the group digested all that they had been told.  
  
"Time is growing short. Ataru is becoming more impatient in waiting for my answer. He believes I will give in after hearing his most recent threat, one designed to wound me more than the loss of my mate."  
  
"Your son," Miroku murmured quietly.  
  
The windwalker met the monk's gaze steadily before nodding. "Yes."  
  
"We would need to leave as soon as possible, then," the monk went on decisively.  
  
Inuyasha glared at him, but said nothing.  
  
Tamaeri nodded. "Maruku will accompany you."  
  
"You're not going to help save your own mate?" Inuyasha snorted derisively. "I'm sure you have enough here to protect the kid."  
  
The windwalker turned to him, head cocked to the side. "That is true. There are enough hunters and healers to ensure his safety, even from Ataru, but his future brother or sister would not necessarily be safe if I traveled with you to save his father."  
  
Inuyasha looked puzzled for a moment, then grumbled to himself as he realized what she meant. "Keh."   
  
"Maruku can summon others if need be. Even myself it that becomes necessary."  
  
"Then we leave as soon as he is ready," the hanyou announced, standing up.   
  
Kagome felt him move. "Inuyasha--" she called, hoping to stop him from leaving. Sango's hand on her arm indicated she was too late as he left the hut without another word.  
  
"Now he really _is_ mad at me," the girl murmured dejectedly, shoulders slumping.  
  
"What's wrong, Kagome?" Sango asked, concerned with the shift in her friend's mood.  
  
Kagome only shook her head, inwardly hoping she hadn't just destroyed most of the closeness she and Inuyasha had developed the night before. 


	18. A Chance to Fly

Here's a turkey day present for you all! Happy (Early) Thanksgiving!  
  
Please excuse any possible spelling problems I didn't manage to catch-- I was in a rush to get this edited and out.  
  
Okay, I take it back, I won't have Kagome say 'Sit, boy', since that seems to have scared you all off again. Anyway, I'll make sure it's obvious, though, when she means to say 'Sit!' all right? Duh, I am such a goof, there's an obvious word I could use... Don't mind me. My brain's being fried by the papers I have to write. Got my ethics one done Sunday, though! One down, one bigger one left to finish! Wish me luck on getting it finished over this little break, so I have time to write before finals!  
  
Odd thing my friend showed me the other day: What's Your Anime Power? http://anime.ydoc.myagora.net/quizes/Power/ One of those little quizzes that are silly and fun. Apparently, my power is Tiny, the ability to shrink other things, or myself, or other people. How exciting.  
  
And of course they had to majorly cheesify (that's a word now, cause I say so) one of my favorite Inuyasha episodes on Saturday, where he first turns human...   
  
So... that said, on with the show! Er... story. :)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 18: A Chance to Fly  
  
  
"Oi, Sango, let go."  
  
The growled order was accompanied by a strong hand taking hold of Kagome's wrist.  
  
"Inuyasha--"  
  
"Let go," the hanyou insisted.  
  
Sango, who had been assisting Kagome in his place as they left Tamaeri's hut, removed her hand from Kagome's elbow and took a step back.  
  
As soon as she had moved away, Inuyasha swept one arm around Kagome's back and the other under her knees, picking her up.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome squeaked at the unexpected move, throwing her own arms around his neck to steady herself.  
  
Sango frowned at the half dog demon. "What are you--"  
  
Again, she was cut off. "We're going to have a little talk," Inuyasha muttered, eyeing the trees around them. "Hold on," he told Kagome, allowing her to secure her hold before leaping over the railing onto the closest branch.  
  
"But, Inuyasha, I thought you said..." She trailed off as the hanyou continued on without a backward glance.  
  
"Hmm. Maybe I should try that maneuver sometime," Miroku said in her ear, his arm sneaking around her back, his hand sliding lower than it needed to be.  
  
"Pervert!" The demon exterminator rounded on him with a resounding slap to his cheek. "Keep your hands to yourself!" she yelled before nearly stomping off in the direction of the hut they'd been given to rest in.  
  
Shippo, who was sitting on Miroku's shoulder, just shook his head. "You should try a little harder, Miroku. You haven't been getting enough of those lately."  
  
"Well, it worked for Inuyasha," the monk responded with a shrug as he watched Sango walk away from them.  
  
"You're hopeless," the kitsune sighed, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Sango, watch--," Miroku called out, stretching a hand out as if to stop the collision he could see was about to happen. The demon exterminator had been watching the ground in her anger, not what was in front of her. She looked up at his words, but it was already too late. "...Out." The monk winced as she collided with the back of the windwalker who stood in her path.  
  
Sango's hands instinctively went up to clutch at whatever it was that she had run into. She immediately let go when she realized the softness tickling her fingers was the pale feathers adorning the wings of a rather tall demon.  
  
"I'm so s-sorry," she stuttered as the windwalker turned around in surprise. Clutching her hands to her chest, she looked up, only to meet a pair of the deepest blue eyes she'd ever seen.  
  
"Are you all right?" he asked, reaching a hand to her shoulder to steady her. When she didn't respond right away, a small concerned frown appeared on his features.  
  
"F-f-fine." Her voice was stuck in her throat, and the only thing she could do was stare at the very handsome face before her. The windwalker had long golden hair to go with his tanned skin and blue eyes.  
  
"What, do I have feathers sticking out of my ears?" he asked after a moment, the corners of his lips twitching upwards.  
  
Sango blinked, then let out an embarrassed giggle and looked down at the ground to hide the flush on her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare." She bit her lip, looking at the ground past the demon's feet to judge whether there was enough space for her to pass by or not.   
  
"That's quite all right," he reassured her. "Now it is my turn to be sorry, for it seems I am blocking your way. Please excuse me." The windwalker shifted to the side and held out an arm to indicate she should move beyond him.  
  
"Th-thank you," she muttered, intent on hurrying on her way. She'd taken only a few steps when the front edge of her sandal caught on one of the planks that made up the walkway. She cried out as she flew forward, holding her hands out to stop her fall.  
  
She never hit the ground. Opening her eyes, which she'd squeezed shut as she tripped, she looked down at the pair of strong arms that circled her waist. She was set on her feet and turned around, the windwalker's blue gaze travelling down to her toes as his hands rested on her upper arms.  
  
"Are you hurt?" he asked, concern once more lacing his tone.  
  
"No, no. I'm fine," she rushed out, wanting to get away even faster to save herself further embarrassment.  
  
"You could have a splinter," the winged demon told her, letting go of her arms and bending down. "Hold on to the railing," he murmured before lifting her foot.  
  
Sango resisted the urge to giggle at his gentle prodding of her toes. Her eyes widened when he gently pressed his lips where his fingers had been, then stood and gave her a brilliant smile.  
  
"An old remedy we healers are taught from the start. Usually it only works on children, however," he added wryly.  
  
The demon exterminator bit her lip, giving in to the urge to return the smile.  
  
"I am Nikorai. I am sorry I did not introduce myself sooner," the windwalker added with a bow.  
  
"Um, my name is Sango. It's, um, nice to meet you, Nikorai."  
  
"The pleasure is mine, I assure you."  
  
"Nikorai, is that you out there? I thought you were bringing that ointment!"  
  
The shrill voice from inside the hut behind them nearly made Sango laugh. She covered her mouth with her hand to stop the few giggles that managed to escape.  
  
"Duty calls," the windwalker sighed. "Would you like a tour of our village? I could show you around, if you do not mind waiting for just a few moments," he informed her, giving her another smile.  
  
She shook her head in response, giggling when the voice came again.  
  
Nikorai bowed once more, sending her a wink before he turned to enter the hut.  
  
Sango watched him until he moved out of sight, giving a little sigh of appreciation before turning away to head for the group's hut.  
  
Miroku, who had watched the entire exchange, followed Sango with narrowed eyes.   
  
"Gee, she certainly seems to like him," Shippo commented from his shoulder.  
  
The monk said nothing, but his fingers tightened on his staff as he stepped quickly along the walkway. By the time he reached Sango, his expression was carefully set in his usual calm mask. The clinking of the rings on his staff heralded his arrival. The demon exterminator turned away, hoping he would move inside, and not bother her.   
  
"Making new friends, I see," Miroku said, leaning against the railing that led to the hut's doorway opposite Sango. Shippo had hopped off when he was halfway to the dwelling, claiming he wanted to watch something going on farther below.  
  
"And that's a crime?" she retorted.  
  
"No."  
  
"Then why mention it?"  
  
"I am merely looking out for your best interests. And they do not include being friendly with a male demon who has designs on you."  
  
"And who's to say he has 'designs on me' as you put it?"  
  
"I am a man. I recognize such things."  
  
Sango rolled her eyes. "I think I can handle anything he might try. As you mentioned, he is a demon, and my specialty is demon slaying. And I think my reflexes are pretty good from having to fight you off."  
  
"That's different."  
  
"How so?"  
  
Miroku looked down at his feet, then up at the trees. Sango watched him fidget, wondering what it was he wanted to say.   
  
"Because I..."  
  
She bit her lip, her heart rate picking up. Was he possibly going to--  
  
He looked at her, giving a small sigh. "Because I am a monk. And your friend. He is a stranger, someone you met only a few moments ago."  
  
Sango's shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment and she gave a short laugh. "As my _friend_, you should respect my choices. For once I would like to spend time with a man, even if he is a demon, who doesn't try to grope me every chance he gets!"  
  
"Sango--"  
  
She shook her head, not wanting to listen any longer. Stiffly, she pushed away from the railing and took a few steps forward. "I can do what I please. If you're not happy with that, then you can just deal with it."  
  
Miroku watched her go, his mask slipping, revealing the hurt in his violet eyes.  
  
"Shippo? What are you doing out here?" Sango brushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she moved to the walkway railing on which the little kitsune was sitting.   
  
Shippo turned to look at the demon exterminator as she rested her arms on the wood and gazed out at the sunlight peeking through the branches and leaves of the many trees surrounding them. "Just watching them," he replied, pointing to a spot a bit below them. Several of the young windwalkers were cavorting about in the air, tossing around what looked like some sort of crudely fashioned ball. Their yells and laughter drifted up to the two onlookers.  
  
"That looks like it would be fun, doesn't it," Sango mused with a small smile as she watched the winged demons at play.  
  
Shippo nodded. He rested his elbows on his legs and set his chin in his hands. "I wonder what it's like to fly?"  
  
"I think the closest you and I will ever get is riding Kirara," the demon exterminator chuckled.  
  
"I could show you."  
  
Sango and Shippo turned almost simultaneously to look behind them, eyes widened in surprise. Maruku stood there, dark wings folded loosely against his back. The windwalker had been on patrol duty for the day, so the group decided to wait until the next morning to leave, to give him time to rest.  
  
"Oh no, that's all right."  
  
"Would you, please?"  
  
The kitsune and demon exterminator spoke at the same time, their words running together.  
  
Maruku laughed and grinned at them. "Are you sure?" he teased Sango.  
  
"Quite sure. But thank you anyway. I'm sure Shippo will enjoy it much more than I would."  
  
"Okay, then," the windwalker shrugged and picked Shippo up off the railing. He placed the kitsune on his shoulders. "Now, slide down a bit, and hang on."   
  
With a leap reminiscent of Inuyasha's, Maruku hopped to the top of the railing, then on to some of the branches further out. He chose a fairly open spot, then seemed to fall forward. Shippo squealed, the sound turning into laughter as the demon's wings opened and caught the air.   
  
Sango grinned at the pair as they glided down towards where the young windwalkers were still playing their game.  
  
"Would you like to watch from a bit closer?"  
  
The demon exterminator spun around once more, one hand pressed to her chest.  
  
"I am sorry for frightening you." Nikorai flashed her another of his toothy smiles.   
  
"It's all right," she murmured, drawn by the color of his eyes as she had been before.  
  
"I know a spot down there that is a much better vantage point than sitting up here."  
  
"Oh."  
  
He laughed at her response. "Would you like to join me?"  
  
"I--"  
  
"I can explain the game to you."  
  
"Oh, no, I--"  
  
"Please?"  
  
She bit her lip, trying to resist the pleading in his eyes. She started to shake her head, but found he'd taken her hand before she could say anything more to refuse.   
  
Nikorai stepped up to the railing, then pulled her around behind him.   
  
"We have to fly....?" she asked as he stretched his wings out to allow her room on his back.  
  
"Of course. Now, put your hands on my shoulders... Good."  
  
Sango blushed as she found his hands drawing her legs around his waist just as Inuyasha did to carry Kagome on his back. She was thankful he couldn't see it. And hopefully, neither could anyone else.  
  
"Hold on."  
  
The demon exterminator cried out and clutched his neck tighter as he leapt onto the railing just as Maruku had done a few moments before.   
  
Nikorai chuckled in response, jumping to another branch. "Is this so bad?"   
  
Sango wasn't used to being carried on anything smaller than Kirara in her transformed state. She definitely was not sure if she felt quite safe enough with just her arms and his holding her up.  
  
"Ready?"  
  
"No!" The cry was lost in the wind as he again mirrored Maruku's actions and fell forward, the rushing sensation easing as his wide wings fully unfurled. Maybe flying wasn't so bad after all.  
  
Miroku, who had entered the hut to meditate when Sango left him earlier, was startled by the cry. He stood and walked to the doorway, just in time to see the tips of Nikorai's wings before they disappeared. The monk slowly shuffled to the railing where Sango and the windwalker had stood moments before, the rings on his staff jingling with each step. His gaze followed the two until they disappeared through the canopy of branches below, his serene expression betraying none of his inner thoughts.  
  
  
  
Inuyasha easily found the clearing they had been in the night before, moving through the trees around to the other side and slightly beyond. They were close enough to the village to get back to it quickly, yet far enough away that they would have some privacy.   
  
He leapt from the last branch he'd landed on, down onto the ground, Kagome still safely held in his arms. As soon as he'd straightened, he swung her feet down, waiting until she could stand before letting her go and stepping away. He studied her for a moment, golden eyes narrowed and arms folded across his chest.   
  
Kagome had been waiting for the explosion to arrive as soon as he placed her feet on the ground. A frown crossed her face when it didn't come. She heard nothing but the faint chirp of birds and the rustling of leaves high up in the trees. "Inu... yasha?" she called tentatively, wishing he'd stayed close by so she would know he was at least still there with her.  
  
"Why the hell didn't you tell me they were telepathic?" he growled, his voice not quite pitched at a yell, but fairly close.   
  
"I-- I just-- I didn't think it was necessary--"  
  
"Not necessary?!" he asked incredulously.  
  
Kagome raised her voice and continued on as Inuyasha sputtered incoherently. "Please, Inuyasha--"  
  
"How the hell is knowing something like that not necessary?"  
  
"Inuyasha, just listen. I thought about telling you--"  
  
"And you _didn't_?" His voice was getting louder with each word he said.  
  
Kagome fisted her hands at her sides in frustration. "Just wait a minute! I was going to tell you, but I didn't, because you were already trying to find an excuse to leave." She took his silence as a sign to continue. She took a deep breath, wishing she could see his reaction. "I didn't want to end up just leaving the windwalkers when there might be something they really needed our help with, which we now know they do. I didn't want you to go straight for Lady Tamaeri, either. Couldn't you hear the pain in her voice? Even just as we met her, before this morning when she told us what she needs us for. She was trying so hard to hide it, because she's their leader; she has to stay strong. But it was there. Couldn't you hear it in Marieko's voice, when she spoke of her uncle, the missing Morihiko?"   
  
Inuyasha said nothing in response to her words.  
  
"I... I just wanted to help them, Inuyasha. I didn't think--"  
  
"No, you didn't think," he finally spoke, in a voice much quieter than it had been.  
  
She bit her lip, waiting to see if he would say more.  
  
"You didn't think it would matter, because you didn't think there could be any possible way they might be deceiving us."  
  
"I... No. That never occurred to me," she admitted.  
  
"Keh," he snorted. "That's just like you, assuming things are good until they prove otherwise."  
  
A small smile raised the corners of her mouth. "Well, I did that with you." She ducked her head folding her hands nervously behind her back. "And you haven't proven otherwise."  
  
"Keh. How many times do I have to tell you humans--"  
  
"I know, I know. All demons are bad. No matter what." Kagome rocked back on her heels, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
"How did you figure it out?"  
  
"Figure what out? That that's what you keep telling me?" she teased.  
  
"No," he grumbled, apparently not appreciating her trying to lighten the mood just yet.  
  
"Just from Marieko."  
  
"But how? Did she tell you?"  
  
The girl shook her head. "No. It was when she told us her father said Lady Tamaeri was waiting for us. And I asked you if Maruku had come back, or if any birds had flown by."   
  
"How did you remember all that?" he asked in astonishment. He hadn't noticed anything odd about what the windwalker said at the time, though he had been paying more attention to watching out for signs of a trap.  
  
"I... I've just had to pay more attention."  
  
Inuyasha grunted in response.  
  
"I really was going to tell you, eventually," she told him, the last word added almost as an afterthought.  
  
She heard him sigh, then a slight shuffle on the ground. She could feel that he had moved closer, but his voice was aimed away from her. "Kagome... how can I protect you, when you don't tell me things like that, that I need to know?"  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Kagome didn't know what else to say. She reached out a hand when the silence dragged on, her fingers encountering the billowy sleeve of his robe and sliding down until she found skin. She took hold of his hand, waiting for him to either grasp her fingers or ask her to let go.  
  
Inuyasha looked down in surprise, eyeing their hands for a moment before wrapping his fingers around hers and studying the effect. Definitely better, he thought with a smirk.  
  
"Can we... walk back?"  
  
The hanyou looked up, eyebrows raised at such an odd question.   
  
As if she could see his expression, she rushed out, "I just don't want to hurry back. If you don't want to, we don't have to." She turned her face away to hide her disappointment. "It was just a thought."  
  
"Come on," Inuyasha murmured, taking a step forward and pulling on her hand.   
  
A bright smile lit her features as she moved to follow his lead back to the windwalker village. 


	19. Hey, Jealousy

No, I don't own the song I stole the title from, though I do love the Gin Blossoms, who don't exist as a group anymore ::Sniff:: And no, I don't own Inuyasha, either.  
  
Anyhow, no, I didn't get the paper done, but I did get this mostly done! Just needed a little bit more today, and it was ready! (Silly me forgot to copy said paper to a disk so I could take it to my grandparents' over break. That was in my rush to get packed up and ready to go, with everything unplugged and whatnot, in a half hour.) And look, another long chapter!  
  
Thanks for all your wonderful comments, and I hope you keep them coming! :)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 19: Hey, Jealousy  
  
  
"Something's wrong with Miroku, Kagome," Shippo informed the girl sitting next to him, his voice quiet. He'd been watching the monk periodically, ever since Maruku had brought him back to the hut after their bout of flying. The windwalker's mate had arrived a few moments later, bearing a tray of food for the village's guests. Shippo, rather hungry after his wild ride, had immediately snatched something off the tray, not caring what it was, only that it smelled delicious. The kitsune had half of what turned out to be a dumpling devoured before Miroku took one for himself.  
  
The monk had only nibbled a few bites away in the same time it took Shippo to down a second piece of the freshly made goods. Miroku hadn't even noticed when the little fox demon stared, his eyes following each move as the monk took another small bite.  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha had arrived a few moments later. Though neither said anything as the hanyou guided the girl across the hut to sit against the wall, the silence was not strained.  
  
"What's that I smell?" Kagome asked, taking a deeper breath to pick up the scent.  
  
"Dinner!" Shippo responded brightly, grabbing another of the dumplings and scooting towards her. "Hold out your hand." When she did so, the kitsune deposited the warm food into her waiting grasp.  
  
Kagome nearly sighed in relief at finding the food was something she could hold in her hand. The stew at the festival the night before had to have been someone's idea of a joke, at her expense. She had the foresight to use a cloth she'd taken from Kaede's hut as a bib after eating some of the old priestess' meals before they left her village. The stew, however, had still proven almost too difficult for her to handle. In the end, Shippo had fed her as if she were a baby, much to her embarrassment. Luckily, the only one who possibly would've taken any real notice was Inuyasha, since Sango and Miroku had already joined Maruku and his family to watch the skits. Inuyasha had not been paying much attention, or so she assumed, since he'd been so quiet that she'd nearly forgotten he was in the tree.   
  
The girl tore a piece off of the rounded food Shippo had placed in her hand, breathing in the mouth-watering aroma before popping the morsel into her mouth. "This is really good! You should try one, Inuyasha."  
  
"I have," the hanyou replied, his voice revealing the smirk on his face, before taking a large bite of a second dumpling.  
  
"Is Sango here, Shippo?" Kagome asked the little fox demon in a near whisper, not wanting to draw attention to the question. "Or Miroku?"   
  
"Miroku is. Sango's off with one of the windwalkers." Shippo did not bother to imitate her quiet voice as he munched on yet another bit of their meal. "I saw her earlier, watching the game the demon children were playing."   
  
The kitsune watched as Miroku's hand stilled halfway to his mouth before continuing on as if the comment had not affected him.   
  
After Shippo had finished, he brought another dumpling to Kagome and leaned against her side to study the monk, hopefully without Miroku noticing. He'd waited for a few moments, debating whether to voice his concern to the girl, or not. He finally decided she could at least talk to Miroku, if nothing else, and then he wouldn't feel guilty for not saying anything. He wasn't sure if she had heard him when she didn't respond right away.  
  
"What do you mean, Shippo?" Kagome asked after swallowing another bite of food, her tone matching his.  
  
"He's acting... weird. He's barely eaten half of the only dumpling he's had. And he hasn't said a word since before you and Inuyasha came back."  
  
Inuyasha, with his acute hearing, had also heard Shippo. The hanyou, his usual not-so-tactful self, blatantly stared at Miroku, wanting to confirm the kitsune's comments.  
  
Miroku could feel eyes focused on him. He looked up from his food, catching Inuyasha and Shippo watching him. Kagome, though she was not actually looking at him, was facing his direction, a slight frown on her face. Inuyasha just raised an eyebrow when the monk caught his gaze. Shippo had looked away, pretending the ceiling was much more interesting than it had been a few seconds before.   
  
"What?" Miroku asked, his voice and face devoid of emotion.  
  
Shippo poked Inuyasha with his foot, trying to get the hanyou to stop staring. Inuyasha merely bopped the kitsune lightly over the head, never taking his eyes from the monk's face. Intimidation was a tactic he could pull off fairly well.  
  
Or so he thought.  
  
Miroku looked away, then gathered his staff from the floor. "I think I will go for a walk," he announced as he rose to his feet, leaving the half-eaten dumpling on the nearly empty tray.  
  
The monk was a step away from the doorway when an excited Sango burst in, stopping just short of slamming into him. Wordlessly, he moved to the side, studying her flushed cheeks as she stood trying to catch her breath.  
  
She stared back for a moment before she realized what she was doing. "Kagome!" she called, rushing to the other girl's side. "Guess what?"  
  
Inuyasha still watched Miroku as his gaze followed Sango. The monk turned and quickly went out the door, the sound of his staff fading away with each step.  
  
"What?" Kagome asked, her frown deepening when she had to repeat the question to get the demon exterminator's attention.  
  
Sango, too, had turned to watch Miroku as he left, the jingling rings on his staff alerting her to his progression out of the hut.  
  
"What?" Kagome asked once more, slightly louder than before.  
  
Sango looked back at the girl bemusedly. She sheepishly shifted her gaze to her hands as her earlier rush to the girl had inspired the question now directed at her. "Sorry, Kagome! What I was going to tell you was that Nadira told me of a nearby hot spring. I thought you might want to have a bath before we head for Ataru's stronghold in the morning."  
  
It had been at least three days since the last time they'd had a decent chance to bathe. With all the excitement of the past few days, Kagome hadn't thought about it. A nice, relaxing dip in a hot spring sounded quite welcome.  
  
"That would be great, Sango! Was she going to come back here to get us, or are we to meet her somewhere?"  
  
Sango laughed at the other girl's enthusiasm. "She said she was going to come here, once she and Marieko were ready."  
  
"Great! Could you help me find my things? Please?"  
  
"Keh. Fussy women," Inuyasha put in his own opinion. "Why are you so obsessed with being clean, anyway?"  
  
Sango rolled her eyes and giggled with Kagome. By now, the question was a rhetorical one. Kagome had explained so many times, it was obvious Inuyasha was only trying to preserve his image.  
  
"Here, I'll get your bag, Kagome." Sango rose from where she knelt at the girl's side, moving across the hut to pick up the yellow backpack. "I hope you have more of that wonderful-smelling soap in here."  
  
'Maybe I can find out what went on today with the windwalker,' Kagome thought as Sango rummaged through her things. It would be a perfect opportunity to get some information out of the demon exterminator, and hopefully find out something that might help her figure out what was wrong with Miroku. Did something happen earlier, while she was off with Inuyasha? Of course, there had been quite a bit of time where they were apart from the group-- Marieko had taken them to observe the same game that Sango and her new friend had apparently been watching. Inuyasha, surprisingly, had taken on Shippo's role of describing things to her, without her asking. Kagome had just enjoyed the time with the hanyou. He had seemed a bit more relaxed than he'd been since they arrived at the windwalker village.  
  
Hopefully, while they were bathing, she could get Sango to talk. If Miroku had just been groping her, she would've just bashed him over the head, complained a bit, and been done with it.  
  
And if she wasn't able to get anything out of the demon exterminator, she'd have to attempt to worm it out of the monk. When Miroku chose to, he could be as stubborn as, well... as Inuyasha. 'I hope it doesn't come to that,' Kagome thought, wincing inwardly.   
  
  
  
"I definitely needed this," Sango sighed as she slid further down in the warm water, leaning back against a large rock.  
  
"Mmm. I couldn't agree more," Kagome replied, stretching her arms out in front of her, then dropping them back into the water. She turned and reached for the soap she knew she had left on a nearby rock. Her hands groped around until she found it, luckily not knocking her bottle of shampoo into the water in the process.  
  
"Do you mind if I use that... that hair soap?"  
  
"Sure," Kagome murmured, her hand moving towards the rock once more, in search of the bottle.  
  
"Here, I'll get it," Sango told her, moving away from her back rest and laying a hand on the other girl's arm to stop her from trying to find the shampoo.  
  
"Okay." Kagome absently began washing. 'What can I ask? How can I ask her what went on?' she thought. They were in a rather secluded part of the hot spring. Marieko and Nadira had moved to another part of the spring a bit before, leaving the two humans alone, but within calling distance. She didn't think Miroku even knew they were off bathing, so, hopefully, they would not be spied upon. It was the perfect time to conduct a private conversation. If only she could figure out how to start it...  
  
Inspiration struck as she remembered something they'd each done earlier in the day. "So, Sango, did you enjoy the windwalker's game?"  
  
The demon exterminator paused in lathering her hair. "Oh, very much so! Nikorai was very patient in explaining the rules to me. There are so many of them! But, I suppose, with their being demons and all, they have to have some other way to control the players so they still play fair."  
  
"Probably. Who's Nikorai?" Kagome was thankful Sango had given her such a nice opening for asking questions. At least she could find out about her windwalker friend, even if she had yet to figure out what went on with Miroku.  
  
"He's a windwalker," Sango responded. She didn't elaborate.  
  
The sound of splashing water stopped Kagome from prompting her for more. The demon exterminator was most likely rinsing her hair.  
  
"He's really nice. Hmm... very handsome, too," Sango added dreamily. "Listen to me, I sound like a young girl with a bit of puppy love," she laughed, self-mockingly.  
  
Kagome smiled a bit at her tone of voice. "You are young, Sango. You're not that much older than me. Can I assume that maybe you do have a crush on him?"  
  
"A what?"  
  
"Um... do you like him a lot? Not just as a friend, but more?"  
  
"Me?" the demon exterminator squeaked in surprise.  
  
"Yes, you," Kagome giggled.  
  
"How can I? I just met him!"  
  
"Okay, okay. I'll leave that alone for now. What's he like, though?"  
  
"Mmm... He has longish golden hair, and deep blue eyes..." She trailed off, the dreamy tone coloring her voice once more.  
  
"Yep, you have a crush on him," Kagome laughed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing! Anyway, you said he was nice, and that he's handsome, but what else?"  
  
Sango idly ran her fingers through the water as she considered the question. "He's a healer. I found that out when he was... um... checking my foot for splinters."  
  
"Why did he think you would have splinters in your feet? You were wearing your sandals, right?"  
  
"Of course," the demon exterminator replied. "I... well...," she bit her lip in embarrassment, not quite able to get out what had happened.  
  
"Well, what?" Kagome prompted.  
  
Sango cleared her throat. "Well, I... kindof tripped... when I was trying to get around him." The words were rushed out in a low voice, as if she was trying to get them past her lips as quickly as possible.  
  
Kagome giggled at the unexpected response.  
  
"That was after I'd run smack into him."  
  
Kagome laughed harder. "Was he in your way or something?"  
  
"Well, yes," Sango replied, her voice revealing how flustered she was by the whole incident. "I was trying to get away from Miroku, and wasn't watching where I was going."  
  
Was that when whatever was bothering the monk happened? Kagome wondered silently.  
  
The demon exterminator continued on, oblivious to her friend's thoughts. "I heard him call my name just before I slammed into Nikorai's back. Nikorai was really nice about it-- he was more concerned I was hurt, and not angry at all."  
  
"So that's when you first met him?"  
  
"Yes. And I was just going to pass by, after staring at him..."  
  
"And you're sure you don't have a crush on him?" Kagome teased.  
  
Sango splashed water at her, knowing the other girl couldn't see her glare. "No. It was just nice to spend time with him." She fell silent, once more slipping deeper into the water to lean against a convenient rock.  
  
"Why were you trying to get away from Miroku?" Kagome asked after a couple of minutes, wanting to draw the discussion towards the monk in the hopes of finding out what occurred between him and the demon exterminator.  
  
"Stupid monk," Sango muttered. "After watching you being carted off by Inuyasha, he said something about him trying the same thing. Only his hand, as usual, didn't stay where it should."  
  
"That probably earned him a good slap."  
  
"Of course."  
  
'Was that all?' Kagome thought, pursing her lips. That should not have been enough to set the monk into a depression-- it was a normal event that happened quite often. Sometimes she wondered if he groped Sango merely to get the reaction she always gave.  
  
"You know, Kagome," Sango went on, her tone a bit angrier than it had been before. "He tried to tell me Nikorai had 'designs on me' as he put it. He was trying to warn me away from spending time with him."  
  
Kagome resisted the urge to jump up and yell in victory. Finally, she was getting some useful information! She calmed down enough to prod Sango into adding more. "What did you tell him?"  
  
"I told him I wanted to spend time with a man who didn't grope me all the time. He looked like he was going to forbid me to do it, so I told him that I can make my own choices. And that if he didn't like it, he could just deal with it." The demon exterminator's voice had grown louder and more irate with each word. "He has no claim on me, Kagome. With all the women he chases around, I should be allowed to get close to other men, too. Who does he think he is, anyway? Trying to tell me I should watch out, that Nikorai could be a pervert. If that was the case, I could deal with it just fine, with all the practice I get with him!" Sango angrily splashed her hands about in the water, venting some of her frustration.  
  
'Wow,' was all Kagome could think once Sango had finished. It sounded as if the other girl had been holding in some of that feeling for quite some time. Kagome knew she was at least somewhat jealous of all the attention Miroku gave other girls. Apparently, it ran much deeper than the demon exterminator let on. If she was jealous, then she must feel something for the monk. Was she possibly just using Nikorai to make the monk, himself, jealous? Or was she honestly attracted to him, enough to forget her feelings for Miroku to try for a relationship? Or maybe it was as simple as she said-- she wanted to spend time with a man that found her attractive and didn't try to grope her all the time?   
  
Was there any way to ask? Probably not.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kagome. I know you probably get sick of me ranting about Miroku and his wandering hands," Sango sighed, her tone much more subdued.  
  
Kagome smiled, hoping the other girl would see it. "Hey, that's okay. What are friends for? Can I... Can I ask you something, Sango?"  
  
The demon exterminator looked up at the hesitance in Kagome's voice. "Sure."  
  
"I... I'm not sure how to say this, and I'm hoping you won't get mad at me," Kagome started, biting her lip and pausing for a moment. 'Here goes nothing,' she thought, clearing her throat. "I know you've only known Nikorai since earlier today. And it sounds like you had a good time. But, do you really want to get to know him better? Or are you possibly just... just using him as a substitute for what you'd like to have with Miroku?"  
  
Sango said nothing. She stared down at the water, her frowning face reflected back up at her on its surface. She wasn't angry at the question-- she knew the others could see some of what she felt for the monk. She wasn't as good at hiding it as he or Inuyasha were at keeping their feelings from showing. Nikorai was one of the few males who had shown interest in her, and she did want to get to know him a little better. She knew he would be a wonderful friend. He had a warm heart, and was kind and patient, with a good sense of humor-- great qualities in a healer. But did she really feel she might go from liking him as a friend to something more than that?   
  
To be honest, she just wasn't sure. "I... I don't know, Kagome," she told the other girl in a hushed voice. "I really don't know."  
  
Kagome nodded. "Maybe... maybe you should talk to Miroku? Not just tell him to keep his hands to himself like you usually do, but I mean _really_ talk to him?"  
  
"No," Sango replied, vehemently shaking her head. "It wouldn't do any good. He already doesn't listen to me. You know what he told me? He told me he was my friend. A friend would listen, and be responsive to what he was asked not to do. He told me that his... his grabbing me was different from what Nikorai would possibly do. Because he was my friend, and Nikorai was a stranger. And because he was a monk. That's just an excuse." The demon exterminator's voice was shaking slightly when she finished, as if she was on the verge of crying.  
  
"I... I'm sorry, Sango. I wish I knew what to say," Kagome said quietly. "I think you're right about the friend thing, but... maybe... I don't know, maybe that's his only way of showing affection or something."  
  
Sango snorted at that statement, wiping a stray tear from her cheek.  
  
"Are you girls ready to go?" Marieko called from the opposite bank of the hot spring, the side closer to the pool she and her mother had been sharing.  
  
"Yes, we'll be out in a minute," Sango called back, her voice much stronger than it had been moments ago. "I... thank you, Kagome. For listening."  
  
"You're welcome, Sango," the other girl replied with a smile.  
  
"Here, I'll get out, and get your towel for you okay?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Kagome's mind was still churning through what she had learned from the demon exterminator. What could she do to help? Should she talk to Miroku? Was there any way to get him and Sango to talk to each other?  
  
She sighed and rolled her neck to ease the renewed tension there. 'So much for a relaxing bath.' 


	20. Another Perspective

Sorry this chapter took so long to get out, guys! I've been busy with that other paper I didn't get done, plus my final project for my programming class. I also had the big Christmas Festival choir concerts from last Thursday night, to Sunday afternoon (was 4 days in a row), so that took up time, plus rehearsal for that on that Wednesday. On top of all that, I had a cold, so my head was rather stuffy. That's not exactly conducive to writing.  
  
On a better note, classes are over for the semester! All that's left is my last final! Good luck to everyone else that has them :) I'm not sure how much more of this I'll get done this week. And I go home today (Thursday), so please be patient with me over Christmas break. I'm going to get as much as I can done, when I can commandeer a computer.  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 20: Another Perspective  
  
  
"Be careful, father." Marieko had followed Maruku to the group's early morning meeting, wanting to wish them well on their journey to rescue Morihiko.   
  
The windwalker nodded in response to his daughter's entreaty.   
  
"The rest of you, as well. I'm confident you will bring my uncle back home where he belongs."  
  
"Thank you, Lady Marieko. We will do our best," Miroku responded with a small bow. His usual charming grin was absent in respect for the mission they were about to undertake.  
  
The sun was just beginning to brighten the sky, though not much light could be seen through the leaves that surrounded the demon village. The group was waiting on the walkway next to the lift that brought them up when they first arrived. Tamaeri was to meet them one last time before they set off, with any last-minute instructions or news.  
  
It had been a restless night for them all, with the exception of Shippo. The kitsune, as usual, had almost a full night's sleep. The others, however, had quite a bit less, but a lot more weighing on their minds.  
  
Sango had not only been troubled by thoughts of what could lay ahead, but by possible answers to the questions Kagome had asked. Some part of her had also recognized that Miroku did not return, though she tried to push such thoughts away.  
  
The monk had spent the better part of the night sitting near Lady Tamaeri's hut, trying to clear his mind. After most of his attempts failed, he returned to where the others were resting, though chose to remain outside, leaning against the small dwelling's wall and dozing as best he could.  
  
Kagome's mind had raced from Sango and Miroku, to various scenarios of their rescuing the windwalker leader's mate, to contemplating how she would be able to help in such a task with the loss of her sight, and back again. Her thoughts had chased themselves in circles until she finally fell asleep a couple of hours before they were to awaken.  
  
Inuyasha, with his usual arrogant assuredness of their ability to handle any demon that possessed Shikon shards, watched Kagome toss and turn. His own thoughts unknowingly paralleled some of the girl's. He would rather she stayed in the winged youkai village until they returned, but her ability to sense the jewel made her a valuable asset, even without her sight. He would definitely need to keep all his senses alert in order to keep her safe.  
  
Now that morning was upon them, their thoughts were focused on the rescue mission, all personal feelings put aside.  
  
"Leaving so soon?"  
  
Sango looked up from fiddling with Hiraikotsu's strap at the familiar voice. She was standing the furthest away from the lift, which gave Nikorai an easy path to her. She blushed and looked back down at the wooden planking. "Yes. We... we have to go this morning," she replied, unsure of how much to tell the windwalker. "But we'll be back."  
  
"You are to help bring Morihiko back home," he stated, the laughter in his eyes the day before replaced by a serious expression. "I understand."  
  
Sango blinked at him in surprise before nodding. Surely it shouldn't be surprising that others knew why the group of travelers had been welcomed into the village.   
  
"Here, I brought you a gift," Nikorai continued, holding out a small parcel in one hand. "It is not much, but something that may help along the way. Willow bark, to ease pain." He flashed her a small smile. "Possibly to rid yourself of one of those headaches you complained of yesterday."  
  
Sango smiled at him gratefully, taking the bundle. "Thank you. I'm sure it will be put to good use."  
  
"Visiting your patients this early, Nikorai?"  
  
The winged demon turned, drawing Sango's attention to Lady Tamaeri, who stood behind him. Nikorai bowed, responding, "A few, my lady. I also wished to bestow a small gift on our guests that may aid in their journey."  
  
Tamaeri arched an eyebrow in faint amusement, her arms folded across her chest. "Please continue, then."  
  
"I was actually just about to say good-bye, my lady," he informed his leader before turning to the rest of the group. "I wish you good luck on your journey, and safe traveling." He didn't wait for anyone to acknowledge his send-off, but took Sango's hand.   
  
The others, of course, were now watching the two.  
  
"I do hope you will permit me to see you again once you return," he told the demon exterminator, holding her fingers gently with both of his hands.  
  
"I..." Sango had no idea what to say to such a request. She was still confused as to how she felt about the windwalker, and the situation between herself and Miroku. It could not hurt to say yes, though, could it? If she came to some conclusions before they again arrived at the village, she would at least be able to tell him of her thoughts.  
  
Before she could give herself a chance to rethink her decision, she nodded, returning the smile he gave her.  
  
"Until then," Nikorai murmured, bending his head and placing a kiss to the top of her hand. He squeezed her fingers before stepping away. Wordlessly, the windwalker bowed again to Lady Tamaeri, then quietly strode away.  
  
Miroku watched the exchange out of the corner of his eye, carefully keeping his expression neutral. He could not hear what was said from his vantage point near the lift's gate, though he took in the windwalker's movements, as well as Sango's flushed cheeks and shy smile. With an inaudible sigh, he absently turned his gaze to what little of the sky could be seen through the leaves above.  
  
Marieko quickly hugged her father before following in Nikorai's wake, giving a bow of respect to Tamaeri as she passed.  
  
The windwalker moved closer to the group, after watching her niece disappear around a corner in the path and clearing her throat. She shifted her shoulders, pale wings resettling with the movement. "I appreciate your willingness to help us," she began, the solemn tones of her voice laced with gratitude. "This is no easy task, though I believe that you will be able to succeed. Maruku will guide you, as he now knows where Ataru's stronghold lies. Do not hesitate to send for others if you believe it is necessary. There are many here who would welcome the chance to aid you in rescuing my mate, especially those who lost family to Ataru's attacks."  
  
"Your confidence is well placed, Lady Tamaeri," Miroku responded. "We will do our best."  
  
The windwalker nodded. "I will wait for a message from you, Maruku. Please alert me of any changes in the situation."  
  
"Yes, my lady." As if her words were a dismissal, the demon opened the lift's gate and waited for the others to step aboard the platform.  
  
"May the wind guide you on your journey," Tamaeri called as they filed onto the lift.   
  
The others were silent as they settled, Maruku taking his place just inside the gate. He lifted a hand to signal to the youkai manning the ropes that they were ready to depart.   
  
Lady Tamaeri stepped forward just as the platform began to descend. "Please bring him back to me," she murmured, so quietly that none of them should've heard. Inuyasha did, however, the desperation in the windwalker's voice drawing his gaze towards her. The hanyou nodded once before disappearing from her sight beneath the walkway.  
  
  
  
"Miroku, could you help me down, please?" Kagome requested after feeling Kirara's feet touch the ground. For the better part of the morning, they had been travelling by way of the air, if you could count Inuyasha's leaping as flying. Shippo was treated to another ride with Maruku, while Kirara had born Kagome, as well as Sango and Miroku. They were continuing on foot to give the two-tailed cat time for some much-deserved rest.  
  
"Certainly, Kagome," the monk replied from where he stood next to Kirara's side. His voice conveyed most of his usual cheerfulness, but Kagome picked up on the tiredness beneath it. He took her hands and assisted her to the ground, letting go to reach for his staff once her feet were securely planted on the dirt.  
  
Inuyasha, sniffing the air experimentally, strode towards the pair. "Oi, Kagome, come on," he muttered, reaching for her arm to guide her along as he had been doing for the past few days.  
  
The girl gently removed his hand before he could tug her forward. "No, I'm going to walk with Miroku for now." Before the hanyou could protest, she held up a hand and continued. "You need to be up front with Maruku, watching for anything. You can't move as quickly with me, and I would only be in the way if we run into any other demons."  
  
Inuyasha clenched his jaw, unable to find fault with her logic. "Fine," he growled, glaring pointedly at Miroku before stalking towards where their windwalker guide stood.  
  
"I do believe Inuyasha wanted to walk with you," Miroku commented.  
  
Kagome blushed and turned her face away, a smile on her lips.   
  
"Shall we get going?"  
  
"Of course. Where's Shippo?" Kagome asked, stretching a hand out for the monk's arm.  
  
"With Sango and Kirara, in front of us," Miroku responded, crooking his elbow as he had seen Inuyasha do before.  
  
Inuyasha and Maruku waited for the others to start moving before taking the lead.  
  
Kagome was, as she had done with Sango, trying to figure out how to bring up the events of the day before. Miroku was much better at hiding what he truly felt, never giving anything away unless he wished to. How was she supposed to get anything out of him?  
  
"Is there something wrong?"  
  
The question startled her. "No, I... Not really. I was just thinking."  
  
They continued on for a few steps before Miroku spoke again. "Is it something I could help you with?"  
  
Could she use that as an opening? It was worth a try. "Well... Since I couldn't see anything, I might be reading things wrong," she started, phrasing her words so the monk would hopefully not guess where she was going with the comment. "But it seemed to me like that windwalker was showing a lot of interest in Sango this morning."  
  
She felt his arm tense slightly, but he remained silent.  
  
"I mean, he said he was wanting to see all of us off, but he mostly spoke to her. And that... that bark or whatever, that he said was a gift, was pretty much for her, too." Maybe playing the gossipy female would work?  
  
"I could not hear what was said from where I stood."  
  
She sensed the statement was meant to end the discussion, but refused to take the bait.  
  
"I wonder why he said she had a headache yesterday?" she pretended to muse aloud. "Did you know she met him yesterday?"  
  
Miroku nodded before remembering such gestures were currently lost on the girl walking at his side. "Yes, I did."  
  
His voice was carefully noncommittal, though the muscles in his arm were flexing as he fought to relax.  
  
"Oh. Did you meet him, too?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Do you know how they met, then?"  
  
"She ran into him."  
  
The monk was beginning to sound as if he was grudgingly answering the questions of a curious child. Kagome resisted the urge to smile at the thought. Maybe she was getting through to him after all.  
  
"Ran into him? Like, just passed by, or--"  
  
"Sango was not looking where she was going, and was walking quickly. I called out to her, to warn her that someone was in her way, but was too late." Miroku sighed faintly, the sound reaching her ears merely because she was listening for any telling gestures he might make. "I am surprised Sango did not tell you of this herself."  
  
Kagome bit her lip, wondering if she was pushing to hard. She did not want him to be angry with her, but she had yet to get any of his own thoughts on the matter from him.  
  
"Miroku..." she started a few moments later, deciding to throw her concerns out in the air, and see how he reacted.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do you... do you think Sango truly likes him?"  
  
His answer was a long time in coming. And when it did, it frustrated her to no end.  
  
"She is free to like who she chooses."  
  
"Don't you care at all?" Kagome wanted to yell at him, but doing so would attract the attention of the others, which was something she didn't want.  
  
"Whatever my feelings, Sango is still free to make her own choices," Miroku told her quietly. "Whether I care or not makes no difference." He paused once more, surprising her when he went on. "I did try to warn her the demon may not have pure intentions. As her friend it is my duty to inform her of such situations. I do not want to see her hurt."  
  
Kagome stayed silent, unsure of what to say.  
  
"I want her to be happy. I am not certain, with her past, that a demon could possibly fulfill her dreams. But if she believes he can do so, then far be it from me to stop her from pursuing that happiness."  
  
"She only met him yesterday!" Kagome burst out. "How do you think she could know if he would make her happy?"  
  
The monk continued, almost as if he had not heard her. His tone was much quieter, with a small hint of bitterness creeping through. "Better a demon with nearly human traits than a cursed man that can promise her nothing."  
  
"Miroku..." She could feel him clenching the hand that held the air void, as well as hear the sealing prayer beads clinking together. "But..."  
  
He sighed and rolled his shoulders. "I am content to be her friend, Kagome. I would rather spend whatever time I have with her in that way, than cause her pain later with my absence. Trust me, it is better this way."  
  
Kagome reached her free hand behind her neck to massage the muscles there. After last night, and today, she was going to be the one in need of that remedy Nikorai had given to Sango. She had just one more question. "What if... what if she wanted you to be more than a friend?"  
  
"It is not wise to pursue such thoughts as things are now. Perhaps if such a time comes that we have defeated Naraku, and my curse is lifted, then maybe it would be possible..."  
  
"What do you mean, if?" she asked when he trailed off. "We will defeat Naraku. And the air void will be gone, and Sango will have avenged her family, and... and Inuyasha will have resolved the situation with Kikyou," she insisted.  
  
"You are right. It is always better to look on the bright side of things, than the dark."  
  
"Of course it is!"  
  
"And in that case, you hope Inuyasha will choose you, not Kikyou."  
  
Kagome missed a step and nearly fell to the ground. If the monk had not quickly switched his staff to his cursed hand and caught her, she would have dragged him to the ground as well.   
  
"I-- That wasn't fair."  
  
"No? I would say it was quite similar to a question you asked me a moment ago."  
  
The girl's mouth shut with a nearly audible snap.   
  
"Now, if you do not mind, I was rather enjoying the view before I noticed you were so deep in thought."  
  
"I'm not even going to ask," Kagome muttered, turning her face away to hide the pink coloring her cheeks. 


	21. Not Quite a Fairytale

For those of you wanting some more action scenes, I promise more are coming soon :) And I'm sorry this one took so long. I've had the majority of it written, but it needed a bit of help. I'm not sure if I'll get any more done by Christmas, so if not, consider this an early present! :) The next bit needs a bit more planning. Merry Christmas everyone, just in case I don't get anything out :)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 21: Not Quite a Fairytale  
  
  
"Maruku, can I ask you something?"  
  
The winged demon finished chewing the food he had in his mouth before responding. "Certainly, Lady Kagome."  
  
The trip so far had proved rather uneventful. They had walked for several hours, until Maruku announced that they were on the edge of windwalker territory. By then, it was early evening. Since they needed time to stop and rest, it was decided that remaining in a more protected area for the night would be wise. They found a small clearing and began preparing space for a fire. Fortunately, they had been given food by Nadira, and so would not need to hunt. Kagome's supplies from home were dwindling, as she had not returned to her time for nearly two weeks.   
  
It was now nearly dark, the crackling fire sending shadows racing throughout the clearing.  
  
"I... I hope you don't mind, but I was wondering if you could tell us more about what happened with... the demoness we met just before you? Shiori?"  
  
"I see." His flat tone told her it was not a topic he really wished to discuss.  
  
"I'm sorry. You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I was just trying to piece together everything we've been told, and what's happened. I thought maybe there would be something important in the story that might help us now."  
  
"There is no need for an apology. You could not possibly know what has gone on before. I doubt you will find anything useful in the tale, but I will tell you if you wish."  
  
"Thank you." Kagome smiled in his direction, settling more comfortably against the tree trunk she was leaning on. Shippo climbed into her lap, leaning back against her stomach as if ready to listen to one of the bedtime stories she would tell him on occasion. The others were shifting about as well, though they remained silent as they waited for the windwalker to speak.   
  
"I suppose I should start at the beginning. Though much of the story has nothing to do with Shiori's involvement with Ataru, it does include her relationship with my brother."  
  
"I assume you do not mean Morihiko?" Miroku asked.  
  
"You are quite right. Meitarou was the youngest of my brothers. Morihiko is the eldest. But he is not truly part of what happened with Shiori, other than her role in the assassination attempt on him and Lady Tamaeri."  
  
The winged demon paused for a moment to clear his throat and gather his thoughts.  
  
"Shiori has always been greedy. She wants to be the best, and have the best, or as close to it as she can get. She knows how to play on others so she can get what she wants.  
  
"She originally had her gaze set on me. As Morihiko was already taken, she believed the commander of the hunters, second only to the leader's mate, would be almost as good as the leader of our clan. I could see through her tricks, however, and refused to fall for them. So she went straight from me to Meitarou.  
  
"My brother... was easily fooled. He had just finished his apprenticeship as a healer and was looking for a mate. As I mentioned, Shiori knows how to manipulate those around her, in order to obtain what she desires. She had Meitarou following her every whim within a few days. She thought I would become jealous of what he had, and come after her. I merely warned my brother about her, though he did not believe me."  
  
"Those who believe they have found their mate rarely will," Miroku commented.  
  
"This is true."  
  
"Sometimes, people in love jump to the worst possible conclusions about one another as well. Especially if there isn't enough trust between them, and things happen that really aren't what they appear to be," Kagome murmured, thinking of Kikyou and Inuyasha and absently stroking Shippo's head.  
  
"Unfortunately, that was not the case with Meitarou. He placed too much trust in Shiori. He could not see her for what she was, and it cost him in the end." Maruku paused to collect his thoughts, staring into the dancing orange flames.  
  
"Around the same time, Ataru began campaigning against Lady Tamaeri. He did not agree with the joining of our two clans, nor with our ability to live at peace with each other. He believed his own clan to be the dominant one, that any other was merely fit to be slaves to it. For the most part, each windwalker clan does keep to itself. Some animosity arises between them, but most of the disputes are over territorial lines, and nothing more. Such arguments are easily settled by compromise, which we have learned far better serves our purpose than warring against one another."  
  
"You have reached a higher state of understanding than most humans, then," Miroku commented before the winged demon could continue.  
  
Maruku nodded. "So it seems. But, as you can see, our kind are not without our own faults." He rolled his shoulders and stretched his wings, then went on with his tale.  
  
"Ataru began to gain ground with some of the members of his clan, inciting them to treat members of mine as inferior-- no longer allowing their children to learn with the others, no longer treating the sick. A few small fights even broke out among the hunters, though most are too well-disciplined to bring such personal feelings into their work."   
  
Miroku held a hand up to halt the windwalker's narrative once more. "Where did he acquire his Shikon shards?"  
  
"None of us are certain. He did not have them when he first began to provoke those of my clan. Our theory is that he has held them for some time, however, or else he would not have gained so much popularity."  
  
The monk nodded, waiting for Maruku to go on.  
  
"What about Naraku? Ataru could've gotten the shards from him," Inuyasha muttered. After all, many of the enemies they faced either found the shards themselves, or were given them by Naraku. Not many had found multiple shards on their own, however. Naraku had, which increased the possibility of Ataru's involvement with him.  
  
"Perhaps, Inuyasha. But, we do not have any other evidence. Why would Naraku help a windwalker? Especially one that has no real promise of power?"  
  
The hanyou snorted. "He's given shards to others with no power before. It wouldn't be the first time."  
  
"That's true," Shippo put in. "Like that wolf demon we fought a long time ago, that was terrified of Inuyasha. He wasn't scared anymore when Naraku gave him the shards."  
  
"Kouga?" Sango asked, confused. When was the wolf prince ever afraid of Inuyasha?  
  
"No, it was the one before we met Kouga," the kitsune told her.   
  
"If I recall, it was just after Sesshoumaru received the human arm from Naraku and tried to steal the Tetsusaiga. We had Inuyasha imprisoned in a hut to allow his wounds to heal, when Naraku sent Rouyakan to attack us."  
  
"When Inuyasha shoved me back down the well and stole the Shikon shards," Kagome added, frowning.  
  
"It was for your own good!" the hanyou protested. "I was trying to keep you safe."  
  
Sango tried to get the conversation back on track, wanting to stop another argument from starting as well. She could hear the story of Rouyakan's attack later, when their current task was over. "But these problems with Ataru started several months-- or moon cycles-- ago, didn't they?" She looked to Maruku for confirmation. At his nod, she continued. "Most of those we've encountered that were given shards by Naraku... myself included," she added in a much quieter voice, swallowing and ducking her head, "were somehow in line with where we were traveling, or were searching for us, like Sesshoumaru. There is no way Naraku could've known we were going to head this way."  
  
Inuyasha tightened his folded arms and glared into the fire. "We can't just ignore that he might be involved, though."  
  
Miroku shook his head. "No, we cannot. But with no further proof, we cannot assume he is plotting behind the scenes, either."  
  
The hanyou grumbled to himself, turning his face to stare out into the darkness.  
  
"Please go on," Miroku waved a hand at Maruku to indicate the windwalker should go on with his tale.  
  
Maruku cleared his throat. "Shiori took notice of Ataru's growing power, possibly in light of the shards he carried. Instead of dropping Meitarou to chase after him, however, she kept my brother under the illusion that she still wanted him. Unfortunately, Meitarou was extremely naive where she was concerned."  
  
"Wait," Sango interrupted, brow furrowed in puzzlement. "I was taught that your clans are identified by coloring. Is that right?"  
  
"Yes, that is correct. The color of our wings generally distinguishes us from one another. It is also the color of our feathers in our non-human form."  
  
Sango tilted her head to the side. "And you have dark wings." She paused a moment, eyes narrowed as she tried to remember the fight of a few days before. "Doesn't Shiori... have dark wings as well?"  
  
"Indeed, she does."  
  
Kagome picked up on Sango's line of thinking. "So she must be part of your clan, or a similar one. If Ataru didn't like demons from any other clan besides his own, how did she think--"  
  
"I was just getting to that, Lady Kagome," the windwalker chuckled. His wings relaxed a bit from their folded position, easing the stiffness in his back and shoulders that had been growing steadily as his story progressed. "If you will allow me to continue?"  
  
"We're sorry for interrupting."  
  
"No need for an apology, as I told you before. Your question was a valid one." Maruku cleared his throat, then continued. "As I was saying, Shiori wanted Ataru because of his power. She cared not that he despised those of our clan, believing she could easily find a way around his feelings. It was not an easy task. For what must have been the first time in her life, Shiori could not get what she wanted simply by deceiving Ataru to gain his trust. He would have nothing to do with her, throwing her out of the territory he and his followers declared their own.  
  
"Shiori did not give up, however. She became more determined, willing to use any means necessary to win Ataru's trust. She tried making sure she and Meitarou were seen together in public, with an obvious intimate connection. When that did not work, she began bullying her own family and what friends she had, to imply she found them inferior, just as Ataru did. This ploy did not work, either."  
  
The winged demon paused to draw in a deep breath and look down at the hands resting on his crossed legs. "Her most risky attempt was also her last. Shiori had devised the perfect plan to draw Ataru's attention. A few of her cousins and her brother have disliked my own brothers and I since we were young, their entire family greedy for the power mine had inherited. They picked on Morihiko the most, as he was our father's heir. Once he joined with Lady Tamaeri, becoming joint leader of two clans, Shiori's family's hatred grew. She knew this, and sought to manipulate them in a game of her own devising.  
  
"Shiori sent her cousins and brother on night raids into Ataru's camp. A few of the times, they left what appeared to be notes written by Tamaeri, ordering the attacks. During the raids, they began listening to Ataru's plans for striking back. Shiori had her actions perfectly timed to his.  
  
"After nearly one moon phase, Ataru was ready to retaliate. On the night of the celebration of Lady Tamaeri's son's day of birth, he and a few of his followers managed to sneak past the hunters guarding our village. They hid in the trees in their bird forms for several hours, waiting for the right moment.  
  
"When everyone was ready to salute the Tamiko's health, they were prepared to leap from their hiding places and attack. Shiori's cousins beat him to it, however. They were waiting, as well, and landed in the middle of the revelry as if out of nowhere, arrows trained on Tamaeri and Morihiko from many different angles. Shiori, herself, was there as well. She, however, knew she would not get away with even an attempt on our leaders' lives, and was counting on Ataru to save her before the hunters reached her.  
  
"Shiori had severely miscalculated, though. Ataru may or may not have continued to see her as inferior, but he did not help her or her family members at all. He stayed hidden, sneaking away in the commotion that followed. A few of the hunters discovered them just as they were reaching less-patrolled territory, and chased them into open land. The hunters' intent was to scare, not to harm, and so they eventually returned to their posts later that night."   
  
"I believe we can piece together most of the rest of the story," Miroku commented when the winged demon paused. "I am curious, though. How did you manage to gain this information from Shiori? I cannot believe she would willingly confess."  
  
Maruku sighed before meeting the monk's gaze. "She did not. Our laws do not allow us to take a life for a life, nor for an attempt on a life. What is permitted is much worse, in any of my people's opinion.  
  
"You know that we are telepathic?"  
  
"Yes," Kagome quickly put in as the others nodded.  
  
"It is considered an invasion of privacy to deliberately delve into the thoughts of another, without being invited to do so. Criminals forfeit their right to privacy. Those assigned to question them are allowed to pry into their thoughts if they do not admit to their wrongdoing, or if they have committed such an atrocious crime as murder or even the attempted killing of another.  
  
"That is not the end of their punishment, however. My people are very social beings, among ourselves. We do not live in solitude, preferring to spend our time in the company of others. It is part instinctive, for protection in our bird forms, and part the way our society has developed over time. For the worst crimes, offenders are sent into exile, as Shiori was, with no permission ever granted to return to their home, or the village of any other clan. To a windwalker, this exclusion is far worse than death, as a banished one is forced to continue living with the reminder of their wrongdoing."  
  
Silence followed the rather grave explanation, the sounds of uncomfortable shifting drifting to Kagome's ears as she, herself, crossed her arms over her chest defensively. Something seemed to be missing from the windwalker's story, however. It occurred to her when she mentally ran back over the beginning of the conversation. "What about Meitarou? Shiori... I remember her saying something about him..."  
  
Maruku's fists clenched where they rested against his legs, his eyes sliding closed in pain. His chest rose and fell with the breath he took before responding. "Meitarou... was caught in the chaos that erupted with Shiori's attack on Tamaeri and Morihiko. Shiori had not planned for him to be so, but, as I said before, her plot had backfired.  
  
"She was standing, waiting for Ataru to come out of the trees, her own bow aimed at Morihiko. Meitarou saw, and moved to stand in front of his brother. At the same moment, a hunter flung himself at Shiori, the angle of his charge knocking her arm, and letting the arrow loose."  
  
Kagome gasped, raising a hand to her mouth in shock. "She...?"  
  
"Shiori was the one who killed my brother, doubling her crimes with his death."  
  
"I'm so sorry," the girl whispered, horrified that she'd asked him to tell of the events in the first place. "I never meant to--"  
  
"I know, Lady Kagome. You have nothing to explain. I gave you the answers of my own free will."  
  
No one else was willing to speak. The quiet was interrupted only by the soft sounds of the night around them.   
  
Miroku eventually rose and added more wood to the fire, the new fuel sending bright sparks high into the air.   
  
"I will take the watch tonight," Maruku murmured, standing in order to stretch his dark wings wide. "You all need rest after your short night."  
  
The others nodded in agreement, shifting where they sat but making no move to attempt sleep for quite some time. 


	22. Something Wicked This Way Comes

Hah! Look! Another chapter! This should be a nice present, since I did get it done... It's a little shorter, but it just wanted to be ended where it is :) Also, with the holidays, I'm a bit shorter on time.   
  
Happy Holidays to everyone!  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 22: Something Wicked This Way Comes  
  
  
Something was wrong. She could feel it, but not quite single out the cause of her uneasiness.   
  
The scene before her was familiar, each detail increasing the sense of deja vu. Kikyou and Inuyasha stood not twelve feet in front of her, talking.   
  
She tried to step closer, to hear them better, but Inuyasha's loudly spoken words froze her in place.  
  
"You may still hate me, but I... I haven't stopped thinking about you for a single day!"  
  
She gasped. She'd heard those words before. They were ones she'd tried hard to forget, but it was nearly impossible. The sentiment behind them haunted her every day.  
  
She watched in horrified fascination as Kikyou moved closer to the hanyou, placing her hands against his chest and stretching up to kiss him. Inuyasha responded, wrapping his arms tightly about the undead woman.   
  
"Why do I have to watch this?" she asked, her voice sounding strange, distorted, to her own ears. She tried to move, to run, but found she was held immobile by some unseen force. Frantically, she struggled against her invisible bonds. She knew her inability to move was connected to Kikyou, as it had been the first time she'd lived through such a scene. "I'll leave you alone, just let me go!" she cried, hoping this time, the undead priestess would listen.  
  
But... if this was indeed like the first time, then Kikyou would--  
  
"Inuyasha! She's going to try to drag you to hell!" she tried to warn the hanyou.  
  
No sound came from her mouth. Her vocal chords were paralyzed along with the rest of her body.  
  
'No, this can't be happening! Inuyasha!'  
  
Eerie magic began to surround the two embracing in the clearing. Inuyasha's arms tightened about Kikyou as the ground they stood on started to descend.  
  
'Inuyasha, no! Inuyasha, you can't go with her!'  
  
As if he heard her, he looked up, giving her a mocking grin that showed his fangs. His golden eyes gleamed with an unholy light as he nuzzled his face into Kikyou's black hair.   
  
'Inuyasha, please! What about the shards! What about our quest? What about the others? What about... me?' She felt a tear slide down her cheek as she fought Kikyou's hold on her.   
  
She could only watch as the two were dragged further down.  
  
Wait... watch? She was watching... she was able to see...   
  
But... she _couldn't_ see!   
  
  
  
Gasping, Kagome jerked upright in her sleeping bag. She was sweating, heart pounding, breathing erratic. Familiar blackness greeted her eyes when she opened them wide.  
  
She dropped her head into her hands, drawing in deep gulps of air.  
  
It was just a dream.   
  
As real as it had felt, it was only in her mind. Something her brain had thrown together as a result of the stresses of the day.  
  
She shivered as the cool night air seeped through her damp shirt to her skin.  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
Her head snapped up, ears trying to process from which direction Inuyasha's voice had come. Funny how, in her dream, his voice had not sounded distorted.   
  
Her dream! Had she spoken in her sleep? Had he heard anything?  
  
"You all right?"  
  
She felt his weight settle beside her.  
  
"I-- I'm fine," she responded shakily. "It was just a bad dream, that's all."  
  
Though his voice was quiet, Kagome could clearly hear the concern he usually tried to mask under his gruff tone. "Like the last one?"   
  
The last nightmare? Of course, the night he was human, just after their fight with Shiori. She was surprised he remembered. He hated the nights his youkai blood faded, leaving him with only above-normal human strength, and none of his demon senses. Did he remember what he'd told her that night as well? That he needed her? He'd most likely deny it if she asked.  
  
"No, no, Inuyasha. Just some mixed-up images from my time. I've been worried about my tests and all. No youkai, none of you involved." Kagome forced a weak smile, knowing he'd be watching for any sign that she was not telling the truth.   
  
She could hear the skepticism in his tone. "Are you sure?"  
  
"I don't always dream about things that are going on here."  
  
"I know that."  
  
Kagome's smile widened. "Thank you for worrying, Inuyasha."  
  
"Keh."  
  
"I'm going to go back to sleep now. I hope you're resting, too."  
  
"I don't need--"  
  
"I know. You're a youkai, not a weak human. But with what's ahead of us, I just don't want you to be too tired to handle what's thrown our way."  
  
He snorted, shifting at her side.  
  
Kagome settled back into her sleeping bag, turned towards him. "Good night, Inuyasha."  
  
He didn't respond. She wondered if he'd followed her advice, and fallen asleep that quickly. Probably not.   
  
Her suspicions were confirmed minutes later.  
  
Inuyasha wordlessly took one of her hands in his, squeezing her fingers. The gesture went a long way towards helping her at least temporarily forget about him and Kikyou and her dream.  
  
With a tiny contented sigh, Kagome let herself drift back towards unconsciousness.  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha, is there something wrong?"  
  
Maruku stopped beside the hanyou, scanning the surrounding trees and listening for any unusual sounds. The forest at midday was rather quiet, but a few birds and other wild animals scurried about their business in areas further away from the group's path.  
  
They were once again giving Kirara the chance to rest, after the fire cat had carried three people for most of the morning.  
  
Inuyasha sniffed the air, a slightly puzzled look on his face for a moment before he shook his head and began walking again.  
  
"What is it you smell, or think you smell?"  
  
"It's nothing," the hanyou told the windwalker with a dismissive wave of his hand.  
  
Maruku glanced back at the others before moving along himself. None of them seemed to notice anything unusual about Inuyasha's behavior.  
  
Several minutes later, the half dog demon stopped a second time. Eyes narrowed and ears perked, he turned to the left.  
  
"What is it?" Maruku persisted.  
  
Inuyasha ignored the question, focusing on his sense of smell.  
  
"Why are we stopped?" Sango asked as she and Kagome caught up with the two youkai.   
  
"Ask Inuyasha," Maruku replied, gesturing to the hanyou and ruffling his wings in irritation.   
  
Kagome frowned. "Inuyasha? Is there something wrong?"  
  
"I smell something," he replied cryptically, just before plunging through the bushes lining their path.   
  
Maruku quickly followed suit, wondering why the hanyou was veering from their path. They had little time to spare just to check on some odd scent Inuyasha was picking up.  
  
"What, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, not realizing the hanyou had disappeared.  
  
"He's gone. So is Maruku. Come on, Kagome," Sango urged, pulling the other girl by the hand as she shoved the bushes aside to climb through.  
  
"Wait, where--"  
  
Kagome's protest was cut off as she was yanked forward. She let go of the other girl's hand to shield her face as she tripped through the leaves and branches.  
  
Sango turned just as Kagome barreled into her, knocking them both to the ground.  
  
Kagome sat up quickly, having landed sprawled across the demon exterminator's legs. "Sango, are you all right? I'm sorry."  
  
Sango pushed herself up to lean back on her hands. "I'm fine. It was my fault for pulling you so hard. Kirara? Where are you?"  
  
The fire cat, who'd been in the her arms, mewed from beside the two girls. She'd landed on all four paws with typical feline grace.  
  
"Something evil is moving this way," Miroku informed them as he pushed aside the plantlife and climbed through.   
  
"What is it?" Sango asked, surveying the surrounding trees while he helped Kagome to her feet.   
  
"I am uncertain."  
  
Shippo sniffed the air as Inuyasha had been doing. "I don't smell anything."  
  
"We need to move quickly, to catch up with Inuyasha and Maruku," the monk added, offering his hand to Sango. "Is Kirara rested enough?"  
  
In response, the fire cat transformed, waiting for the three humans and Shippo to climb onto her back.  
  
"What could it be? I don't feel any shards..." Kagome murmured, holding tightly to Sango's waist as Kirara leapt into the air.  
  
"The demon energy is familiar," Miroku replied, eyes closing as he concentrated. "There are two. Two different energies, both ones I have felt before."  
  
Kagome suddenly stiffened. "Inuyasha only runs off when it's..."  
  
Sango laid a hand over one of Kagome's. "We know, Kagome."  
  
"I am curious, though. He did not warn us to stay away this time," the monk added from behind her.  
  
"Maybe it's not Kikyou, then?" Kagome allowed a tiny bit of hope to break through the sadness creeping over her. She and Inuyasha had been growing so much closer. She didn't want anything to intrude just yet. Especially in light of her dream the night before.  
  
"It is too soon to say."  
  
"Faster, Kirara!" Sango cried, seeing the red of Inuyasha's robes just ahead of them.  
  
The demon exterminator watched as the hanyou stopped in his tracks a moment later. His actions drew her gaze to the scene playing out below. She gasped in surprise, eyes widening.  
  
The trees had thinned on the edge of a small cliff. Two figures faced off on the clear ground, the earth around them scarred by their battle.  
  
One, dressed in the garb of a priestess, stood panting from exertion quite close to the cliff's edge. Several lacerations on her arms and legs stained the white cloth of her robe with blood.  
  
The other figure wore a long white pelt with a hood, and stood closer to the treeline. This one, however, appeared to be no worse for the fight.  
  
"What is it? What do you see, Sango?" Kagome asked, feeling the other girl's rigid posture.  
  
"Kikyou... and... Naraku..." 


	23. Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Hi guys! Happy New Year!! Sorry it took me so long to get this out. I'm back at school now, which means my computer with a constant internet connection! So, hopefully I can get some more writing done this week before I have to get back to work... but I can also write at work, so that doesn't hurt my time too much. Also gotta work on that finding a job thing... What fun.  
  
Anyway, here's the next action scene, as promised! Enjoy!  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 23: Hit Me With Your Best Shot  
  
"Kirara, land down there, by Inuyasha," Miroku instructed the cat youkai.  
  
"Kikyou and Naraku? What's going on? What are they doing?" Kagome's mind whirled with the possibilities. "What about Inuyasha and Maruku?"  
  
Miroku answered the girl's questions calmly as they landed. "The windwalker is... standing back, hidden by a few of the trees. Inuyasha is here. Kikyou and Naraku appear to be fighting."  
  
Hopefully, Naraku's senses were focused on Kikyou, enough that they could possibly have the advantage of a surprise attack, Miroku thought. He moved slightly in front of Kagome, seeing Sango joining him in shielding the blind girl out of the corner of his eye.  
  
Kikyou's soul-stealing demons were absent, the monk noted. That meant, not only was she weakened by injuries, but also by the loss of the energy that kept her from returning to the land of the dead. How were they kept away?  
  
Eyes narrowing at the sensation, Miroku recognized a tiny shift in the demon energy. Something was off.  
  
Inuyasha gave no indication that he knew they were there. His golden eyes were locked on the figures before him.  
  
Kikyou's quiver was empty of arrows, the bow clutched in her hand so tightly that her knuckles were white. The cuts on her arms and legs continued to bleed as she stood, swaying back and forth.  
  
Naraku's evil chuckle echoed in the quiet.  
  
Inuyasha's eyes widened as the undead woman suddenly fell to her hands and knees, too weak to keep upright. The hanyou took an instinctive step forward, one arm thrown out as if to stop her from falling. "Kikyou!" he yelled, unknowingly holding his breath as he waited for some sign that she was not going to collapse further.  
  
Another deep chuckle rang out. "So nice of you to join us, Inuyasha. And the rest of you as well."   
  
So much for Naraku's not noticing their presence, Miroku thought as he moved into a defensive stance, staff held locked in front of him. "Kagome, stay behind us."  
  
"Okay." The girl nodded, swallowing hard. It was bad enough facing Naraku under normal circumstances. But now, she would be of no help to the others. All she could do was stand out of the way with Shippo, who was gripping her hand tightly from his place at her side.  
  
Inuyasha's muscles seemed to suddenly unfreeze as he unsheathed Tetsusaiga, the sword transforming as he swung it angrily forward. "What have you done to her, you bastard!" he bellowed, Tetsusaiga aimed straight at Naraku's back.  
  
"Nothing she does not deserve," the baboon pelt-clad demon called over his shoulder. He turned back to Kikyou, raising one hand and sending a large sphere of miasma towards the fallen priestess.  
  
"No!" Inuyasha yelled, running towards Kikyou, intending to grab her and leap out of the way.  
  
Miroku's violet eyes suddenly snapped wide as the shift in the demon energy finally revealed what it was hiding. "Inuyasha! Stop! It's not Kikyou! It's just an illusion!"  
  
His warning came too late. The image of Kikyou kneeling on the ground faded before the hanyou's eyes. Inuyasha turned just in time to be thrown back by the force of the miasma ball. He landed on the ground hard, skidding to a halt very close to the cliff's edge.  
  
He didn't move.  
  
Tetsusaiga landed in the dirt, detransforming once it hit the ground.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Shippo cried, letting go of Kagome's hand and running between Sango and Miroku.  
  
"Shippo, stop," the monk ordered, grabbing the kitsune's arm to stop his headlong flight.  
  
"We have to get to Inuyasha!"  
  
"It will not do any good," Miroku grimly chided. "Inuyasha is strong. It would take a lore more than that to kill him."  
  
"Inu... yasha?" Kagome murmured belatedly. "Sango, what happened to Inuyasha?"  
  
"Kagome--"  
  
"It may take more than a bit of my miasma to finish off a hanyou like Inuyasha, but that will be sufficient to take care of you humans!"  
  
"Run, Kagome!" Sango yelled, reaching behind her to grab the other girl's hand as Naraku flung an even larger ball of dark energy at them. She was surprised at finding the air where Kagome's fingers had been seconds before empty, forgetting her own impulse to flee.  
  
"Sango!" Miroku called, a second later slamming into her to knock her away from the path of the evil energy. They fell to the ground, the miasma skimming past their feet.  
  
The monk leaped to his feet, standing protectively in front of Sango as he fixed his gaze on Naraku. "Are you all right?" he called to the demon exterminator behind him.  
  
"F-fine," she stuttered out, taking in deep breaths. The wind had been knocked out of her at their impact with the hard earth.   
  
Sango looked around as she pushed herself to her feet, movement to her left catching her eye.   
  
Maruku was setting Kagome down. Shippo's arms were wrapped tightly around the windwalker's leg. Maruku had grabbed the little fox demon by the shirt as he picked Kagome up and jumped to safety.  
  
"I see you have a new friend with you," Naraku observed, a wicked smirk kicking up one side of his mouth. "Not that he will be of much help."  
  
Just as many times before, the demon changed, dark tentacles growing from beneath his white pelt.   
  
Two of the far-reaching limbs raced towards Miroku and Sango, another two towards Maruku, Kagome, and Shippo.  
  
Maruku sprang into the air, Kagome and Shippo clasped tightly in his arms. He landed several feet away, only to leap once again to avoid the tentacles.  
  
Sango was on her feet and running seconds before one of the appendages caught hold of her leg. The length of the robe she wore over her catsuit hindered her speed, though she managed to turn around and throw Hiraikotsu. The bone boomerang sliced through the tentacle following her and returned to her hand.  
  
She had little time to catch her breath before another tentacle was stretching towards her across the ground.  
  
Miroku alternated between swatting the appendage he fought and scrambling away from it. He'd managed to dodge its attempts to grab hold of him three times. His luck ran out with the next swipe. It had him by the ankle and upside-down, whipping him around hard enough that he dropped his staff.  
  
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango cried, flinging the weapon at the tentacle gripping Miroku while zigzagging away from the one chasing her.   
  
The monk landed unceremoniously on the ground as he was suddenly freed. He flipped backwards, gaining his feet and running towards where his staff lay on the ground.  
  
The tip of another of Naraku's tentacles tripped Miroku, sending him sliding past the metal rod on his side. He reached out as he skidded by, grabbing the staff and whipping it around to slash at the offending appendage before it could close around his ankle.   
  
He looked around wildly as he pushed to his feet, ready to flee once more. He caught sight of Sango, the distance between the demon exterminator and the nearest tentacle lessening every second.   
  
Though he knew he'd never make it, Miroku took off after the limb, hoping by same chance he could hack it apart before it could reach Sango.  
  
He was caught from the side by another tentacle and lifted high off the ground. The limb slammed him into the ground, the impact loosening the grip he held on his staff so that the rod slipped from his fingers.  
  
"Sango!" the monk cried weakly as the demon exterminator was about to be caught. She managed to slice through the tentacle that had followed her with her bone boomerang, but another appendage was waiting when that one failed.   
  
Hiraikotsu was knocked against the ground as Sango was dragged along, both legs held immobile by the tentacle. The jarring sensation followed the nerves up her arm, causing her to drop the boomerang and effectively disarming her.  
  
'Damn it, Inuyasha, wake up!' Miroku silently yelled, having seen the still-unconscious hanyou from his place in the air. Just as he and Sango were trapped, the hanyou was caught by the waist and being dragged across the ground. Maruku, with Kagome and Shippo, was faring much better, though he was exhausting his energy, alternating between flying and leaping across the ground.  
  
The tentacles began wrapping themselves further around the three prisoners, rolling them in towards Naraku.  
  
"Your friends are in need of my help," Maruku murmured to Kagome, leaping swiftly into a tree. He deposited the girl and kitsune on the wide branch he stood upon, leaning Kagome against the thick trunk.   
  
He drew several arrows from the quiver at his hip and quickly notched them in the bow he pulled off his shoulder. The arrows were soon whooshing through the air and cutting through the tentacle holding Sango, another set following to release Miroku. The windwalker was unable to see Inuyasha, who was trapped on the other side of Naraku.  
  
The monk and demon exterminator struggled to free themselves from the pieces of Naraku's limbs still wrapped around them.   
  
Sango had better luck, managing to reach into her robe and grab the thin blade hidden in her sleeve. She was free and running towards Miroku when another tentacle seized her by the arm.  
  
Several more arrows whizzed by, severing the appendage and the one that had caught hold of Miroku just as he began to run.  
  
~I am running out of arrows. Can you shoot?~  
  
"W-what?" Kagome stuttered, reaching down to tightly clutch the large branch beneath her. Had she heard the voice with her ears, or... with her mind?  
  
~This way of speaking is much quicker. I apologize for the intrusion. Can you shoot a bow?~  
  
The mental voice was similar to Maruku's speaking tone. "Y-yes, I... I can, but not--"  
  
~I am running out of arrows. We need one that will end this for good. You are a priestess, and we are in need of your magic. I can help you aim.~   
  
The windwalker did not stop to question how she could fire a bow with her blindness, she vaguely noted. "I can try," she murmured hesitatingly.  
  
~We will not miss.~ Maruku was obviously assured of their success.  
  
She heard the twang of his bow, and then a clipped, "Hang tight," as she was again swept up and away. The slight sensation of falling no longer startled her, though she still grasped the windwalker's arm firmly.  
  
~I will land, and we will finish this.~  
  
"Okay."  
  
It felt like Maruku crashed into the branch they rested on seconds later, though he quickly set Kagome and Shippo on the branch.   
  
The winged demon pulled an arrow from his quiver and pressed both it and the bow into Kagome's hands. He moved behind her, helping her set the arrow against the string so she could pull it back. He held her arms steady and shifting her slightly to the side.  
  
~When I tell you to fire, let the arrow fly.~  
  
Kagome nodded, pulling the arrow back just a little more.  
  
~He is coming closer. Be ready.~ Maruku winced at the power he could feel flowing through Kagome. The purifying magic burned his hands, but he was determined to hold on until the last possible moment.  
  
Naraku lumbered closer, three tentacles racing towards the tree his remaining prey used as a hiding place.  
  
Maruku let go of Kagome's arms, unable to stand the strength of her magic. ~Do not move!~ he mentally called to Kagome. ~Hold steady!~ He looked up as he scooted backwards on the tree branch, eyes focusing on the demon before them.  
  
A moment later, Naraku was within range. ~Now, Lady Kagome!~  
  
Kagome said a quick prayer and released the arrow.   
  
The twang of the string echoed loudly in her ears, followed by the swishing sound of the airborne weapon flying through the air.  
  
Maruku turned his head to the side as the arrowhead began to glow as it neared Naraku. Its impact with the demon exploded into brilliant white light.  
  
Miroku and Sango were flung away from Naraku, landing closer to the treeline, almost beneath the tree the others were crouched in.   
  
The light began to clear, revealing Naraku, who was still standing.   
  
The demon laughed loudly. "Your magic is not enough, girl."  
  
"Maybe not, but my sword is!"  
  
The fierce growl was followed by Naraku's being torn in half from bottom to top.  
  
The demon dissolved into dust, the particles blowing away.  
  
"Damn it, it was another puppet!" Inuyasha yelled, hacking the small wooden oval that lay on the ground where Naraku stood in two.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried from her place in the tree. Forgetting where she was, she tried to push herself to her feet. Her hand slipped, and she fell sideways off the branch.  
  
"You idiot, what the hell were you thinking?" a gruff voice bellowed in her ear as strong arms wrapped themselves around her and brought her safely to the ground.  
  
"Inuyasha! You're all right!" Kagome flung her own arms around the hanyou, oblivious to the anger in his tone.  
  
"Of course I'm all right, but you just nearly killed yourself by jumping out of that tree!"  
  
The girl only held onto him tighter.  
  
"You are an excellent markswoman, Lady Kagome," Maruku called as he jumped, Shippo in his arms, to the ground.   
  
Kagome murmured her thanks as Inuyasha set her on her feet.  
  
"This looks as good a place as any to make camp," Miroku muttered as he strode up to the others, Sango following the monk while rubbing her shoulder.  
  
"I agree wholeheartedly," the demon exterminator murmured, eyes scanning the former battlefield in search of Hiraikotsu. She spotted the boomerang fifty feet away and moved slowly to collect it.  
  
Miroku watched her move away, then turned to head for the treeline, almost deliberately in the opposite direction. "I'll start looking for firewood."   
  
"Camp! We don't have time to make camp! We still have hours of daylight left!" Inuyasha protested.  
  
"Even demons like you and myself need rest after a battle such as the one we just fought," Maruku scolded, frowning as he stretched some of the kinks out of his wings.  
  
"Not that Inuyasha was that busy. He already got his nap," Shippo muttered.  
  
"Why you--!" the hanyou cried, leaping past Kagome towards the kitsune.  
  
"Help!"  
  
'At least some things stay normal,' Kagome thought, a small smile on her face as she listened to Shippo's squeals and Inuyasha's growls.  
  
Sango turned to watch the chase when she was about halfway to Hiraikotsu. She rolled her eyes and was about to continue on when a glint to the side drew her gaze to the dirt beneath her feet. Miroku's staff lay on the ground, where he'd dropped it earlier.  
  
A slightly puzzled expression crossed the demon exterminator's face as she looked back over her shoulder to where the monk was gathering sticks along the edge of the trees. He hadn't come to retrieve the staff himself. Of course it was not likely to go anywhere on its own, so looking for it could wait until after he gathered firewood. But then again, if he waited too long, the sun would set. The staff would be much harder to find in the darkness.  
  
Maybe Miroku expected it to grow legs and walk back to him?  
  
With a snort of laughter at her own thoughts, Sango bent and picked up the monk's staff, the rings jingling as she angled it over her shoulder.  
  
Several minutes later, the demon exterminator approached Miroku hesitantly. She shouldn't have been nervous over such a silly thing as returning the staff, but she was. She stood and watched him from several feet away, biting her lip.  
  
Mentally squaring her shoulders, Sango closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 'This really isn't that hard! Just give him back the staff!' she scolded herself.  
  
"Are you all right, Sango?"  
  
She nearly jumped at Miroku's question, her eyes flying open.  
  
"I-- I'm fine. I just... came to return this to you. I found it on my way to get Hiraikotsu," she rushed out, hoping her voice didn't sound as shaky as she felt. She held the staff out for the monk to take, giving it a slight shake when he cocked his head to the side as if he didn't understand her statement.  
  
Miroku's eyes fell to the object in her hand. He stared at it for a minute, then looked back up at her. "Thank you, Sango. As you can see, my arms are full." He nodded towards the firewood in his arms. "So if you would not mind holding it for just another moment?"  
  
"I... No." Sango could feel a slight flush spreading across her cheeks. In her haste to just give the staff back, she had forgotten the wood the monk carried. Luckily, Miroku had turned away before he could see the pink tinge to her skin. Or so she thought.  
  
He was back before the heat had gone down. "Thank you for finding my staff for me, Sango," Miroku told her with a small bow.  
  
She raised one brow, fully expecting some additional remark to fall from his lips as he straightened and held out his hand.  
  
There was no sign of any mocking behavior when she handed the staff back.  
  
In fact, the monk didn't say another word as he turned away and headed back towards where Maruku was working on getting a fire started.  
  
Sango's eyes followed him as he walked away.   
  
'No comment?' she thought. Not that she missed his quips.  
  
Maybe he was just tired out from the battle. It really wasn't such a remarkable thing for him not to try to twist any situation into something inappropriate.   
  
So why was she noticing it now? 


	24. Three Strikes, and You're Out

Sorry sorry sorry this didn't get put up till now! But I assure you, I have this chapter, and the next done. I'm going to be out of town for the weekend, so they'll both be up by then for you to enjoy. Hopefully it won't take me so long to get the next ones done! Enjoy!  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 24: Three Strikes, and You're Out  
  
  
"That puppet must have been waiting for us." Miroku mused as he stared into the crackling fire, sitting cross-legged with his hands resting on his knees. "But how would Naraku know that we would be traveling this way?"  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised if this bird brain and his boss have been in league with him all along," Inuyasha growled, folding his arms and glaring at Maruku.  
  
The windwalker met Inuyasha's golden eyes steadily, not flinching or looking away.  
  
His silence seemed to confirm the hanyou's suspicions. "Probably led us right to him."  
  
Kagome sighed, wishing the peace that had fallen over the campfire before Miroku spoke would return as quickly as it had disappeared. "Inuyasha."  
  
The half dog demon appeared not to have heard her quiet call. Either that, or he was deliberately ignoring her. "Naraku's been behind this all along, hasn't he? He got you and your leader to get us here, and then he tried to trick us with his puppet and that damn illusion..."  
  
"Inuyasha."  
  
"You've been deceiving us, trying to get us to believe you've got a problem, when the whole thing was probably just some scheme invented by Naraku to keep us off track!"  
  
"Inuyasha! That's enough!"  
  
Inuyasha continued to stare coldly at the winged demon across the fire from him. He wasn't finished speaking, however. "He hasn't denied a word I've said. Which means--"  
  
"Shut up or I'll say it," Kagome threatened in a low voice.  
  
The hanyou's mouth snapped shut with the warning. His ears flicked backwards in irritation, eyes flicking to her, then sliding back to Maruku.  
  
"I'm surprised she didn't just 'sit' him. He deserved it," Shippo murmured to Sango from where he sat in the demon exterminator's lap.  
  
"Hush, Shippo," she scolded. "He's not the only one who doesn't know when to be quiet," she added. Kirara, who shared his resting place, even looked up at him pointedly, as if to second her mistress' statement.  
  
The kitsune opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it and settled back against her stomach while grumbling to himself.  
  
"Did you ever bother to think it through before you said anything, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, her voice carrying a slight edge of anger.   
  
Though his eyes narrowed at her tone, the hanyou refused to relinquish eye contact with Maruku to look at her.  
  
"You're definitely going too far in accusing Lady Tamaeri of having any dealings with Naraku. She just wants our help in getting her mate back. And if you'd think before you acted, you'd see that there's no way Maruku could be involved, either."  
  
"Kagome--" Inuyasha growled, trying to interrupt before she could lecture him like a child.  
  
"Hey, I'm not finished! You had your say, now it's my turn." She took a deep breath, waiting to see if he'd try to stop her again. When he didn't, she went on. "If Maruku was involved, do you think he would've followed immediately after you, when you ran off? If he knew Naraku was there, don't you think he would've stayed with us, or let us all go ahead without him, and then sneak up on us later? And then, wouldn't he help Naraku? Or at least run away? Not grab Shippo and I when the puppet grew tentacles like it usually does? You might not have seen him, but he didn't leave us to be captured. He made sure we were out of the way. He even stopped to help Sango and Miroku, who couldn't fly into a tree to get away from the tentacles. We had to fend for ourselves while you were knocked out. We had no idea if you would wake up."  
  
"You cannot deny, Inuyasha, that without Kagome's arrow, which Maruku helped her to shoot, we would not have escaped from that battle," Miroku added when the girl paused.  
  
"Yeah, you weren't exactly doing much to get us out of there, Inuyasha," Shippo muttered, this time loud enough that everyone else could hear.  
  
"Shippo!" Sango chided, the angry tone causing the kitsune to duck his head and bite his lip.  
  
Inuyasha's ears flattened back even more, his mouth set in a stubborn line as he finally looked away from Maruku. He knew he'd made a fool of himself almost as soon as he made his accusation earlier, but his pride wouldn't let him back down. So he'd tried to logically piece together a reason, instead of just dropping it. If he had, he might've been scolded, but not like he was now. He'd made it so much worse.  
  
Kagome continued on where the monk left off, not able to see the change in his posture that signaled he was backing down. "He didn't have to help us, since our fight isn't necessarily his, but he chose to anyway. Without him, we probably would not have defeated the puppet in the first place."   
  
The hanyou stared at the ground, swallowing hard. "He still could be leading us into another trap," he growled out half-heartedly in an effort to have the last word.  
  
"You never quit, do you?" Kagome threw her hands up in the air in exasperation and sighed. Her head was beginning to pound from all the arguing.  
  
For the first time since Inuyasha tried to lay the blame on him, Maruku spoke. His voice was even, though a bit hard. "You have a right to your own opinion, Lord Inuyasha. But if you believe such a thing of me, then why did you agree to help my people? We sought you out, after hearing of your many deeds among the humans. We felt you would be best able to aid us in rescuing Morihiko." He cleared his throat before continuing. "My brother is at the mercy of one of our own people, who has turned against us of his own free will. There may be some chance that he is involved with this 'Naraku,' but I give you my word, neither I, nor my lady, have ever had dealings with such a being."  
  
The hanyou's jaw tightened. He still refused to look back at the windwalker. Not only was Kagome berating him, but now Maruku, a stranger, was doing it as well?  
  
After a tense silence, he stood and turned towards the darkness of the forest behind him. He knew now he was definitely wrong. The sincerity in the winged demon's voice rang true.   
  
Kagome sighed and rubbed her temples. She really didn't need a headache right now. "You should be thanking Maruku for his help, Inuyasha, not accusing him of being in league with Naraku."   
  
Inuyasha looked down at the ground, clenching his jaw. He knew what she said was true, but he wasn't about to admit it out loud.   
  
He'd made a complete fool of himself twice in one day, which was two times too many. His pride was hurt, demanding he lash out in return for the battering it had received.  
  
Unthinkingly, he gritted out, "Kikyou wouldn't have needed help, even if she couldn't see her target."  
  
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized what he'd said. He quickly turned to look at Kagome, wondering if she'd heard, hoping she hadn't.  
  
She stiffened where she sat, knuckles turning white where her fingers dug into the earth at her sides. Her unseeing eyes were open wide, her lips parting on a soundless gasp.  
  
With a growled curse, he took off into the forest, knowing he should apologize, but at the same time afraid she'd never forgive him.  
  
"He didn't mean it, Kagome," Sango tried to comfort, placing one hand over the other girl's. "You know how he--"  
  
Kagome shook her head, closing her eyes and forcing herself to relax. "I know, Sango. Kikyou is Kikyou, and I'll never measure up to her, especially to him."  
  
Sango bit her lip, wishing there were more she could say.  
  
Kagome drew her knees against her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees.  
  
"Maruku, we are sorry for what Inuyasha said," Miroku began, but the winged demon waved a hand to stop his words.  
  
"You have no need to apologize for him. He had a reason for his accusations, though much of it is most likely anger at himself. I thank you all for defending my character when you have only known me for a short time."  
  
Miroku gave a small smile and inclined his head. "You are most welcome."  
  
The group lapsed into silence, though not an uncomfortable one. Most of the tension had dispersed, leaving the atmosphere much less strained.   
  
"Maruku, do you think Ataru could be working for Naraku?" Sango finally asked, thinking the question was something they would all like to have answered.  
  
The winged demon tilted his head to the side, considering. "Could you tell me more of this Naraku?"  
  
"He's looking for the shards of the Shikon no Tama, like we are. He has quite a few, though we're not sure how many exactly. He's used them on others to give them extra strength, and then tried to defeat us by controlling those pawns."  
  
"I see." Maruku paused, tilting his head to the side and gazing into the orange flames before him. "So the shards that Ataru holds could be from Naraku?"  
  
The demon exterminator nodded.  
  
"That would make sense. But we cannot judge until we meet Ataru, unless we find other evidence that Naraku is involved with him before then."  
  
"Do we have much further to travel?"  
  
"No, Lord Miroku, we do not. If we had not taken this detour, we would now be on the edge of the territory Ataru and his minions control."  
  
"Tomorrow, then," Kagome murmured, speaking for the first time since Inuyasha stalked off.  
  
"Yes. By this time tomorrow, if all goes well, we could be on our way back. But I do not expect it to be that easy."  
  
A few moments went by as each of them digested what the windwalker said.  
  
"We should all get as much rest as possible tonight. We will most likely need it tomorrow." Maruku stood, stretching his wings. "If you will excuse me, I will be watching from above."  
  
The others nodded as he leaped into a tree, disappearing in the darkness.  
  
"Here, Kagome, I've got your bedroll," Sango told the other girl, crouching down beside her to lay out the sleeping bag.  
  
"Thanks, Sango," Kagome murmured, sighing.  
  
She probably wouldn't even need the bedding. Why should she bother getting too comfortable when she didn't expect to get much sleep anyway?  
  
  
  
Inuyasha slammed his head backwards into the tree trunk he was leaning against. He winced at the pain, but at the same time felt it was what he deserved.  
  
He was perched high in the branches, with a clear view of the moon and stars overhead, though the sight was lost on him.  
  
He'd gone and done it for good this time. Kagome was never going to speak to him again, probably not even to 'sit' him a few hundred times. He might as well have just dug a hole as deep as the ocean and willingly jumped right in. Neither his claws, nor Tetsusaiga were going to help him out of this one.  
  
How could he have been so stupid as to fall for Naraku's tricks so easily? It seemed he would forever be duped by the demon's schemes, especially when they involved Kikyou.  
  
Kikyou.   
  
He sighed.   
  
He'd once again thrown the undead priestess in Kagome's face, probably hurting her the most with something he didn't mean.   
  
As usual, it was nothing more than his pride that had been sore, from both the fight of earlier and his believing in Naraku's illusion, and then the lecture he'd received from the others after he rashly accused Maruku of being in league with their enemy. He regretted his actions, especially after his parting shot at Kagome.  
  
It'd be a miracle at best if she forgave him for the taunt. He didn't deserve it, after the way he'd acted.  
  
And yet... she was always forgiving him.   
  
She'd forgiven him for chasing after her in the beginning, when he tried to steal the Shikon no Tama from her.  
  
She'd forgiven him when he actually managed to take the jewel, and send her back to her time without it.  
  
She'd forgiven him every other time he'd compared her to Kikyou.  
  
She'd forgiven him for every other barb he'd thrown at her.   
  
She'd forgiven him every time she'd found him with Kikyou in his arms.  
  
No matter what he said, she came back from her time once her anger had died down. No matter what he did, she followed him and never tried to strike back. No matter how much he hurt her, she still cared.  
  
Maybe just this one more time... if he apologized... she'd pardon him again.  
  
With that thought, he jumped down from the branch and ran swiftly back the way he'd come, letting Kagome's scent lead him to her. 


	25. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Okay, I'll stop torturing you all with waiting for that little bit more I promised.  
  
::Big Evil Grin:: You guys should all enjoy this chapter. I promise you will! :) Feel free to let me know how much! :)   
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 25: Actions Speak Louder Than Words  
  
  
Kagome had always known she'd never measure up to Kikyou. No matter how much she practiced, her skill with a bow would never be equal to the former priestess'. Love always made things more beautiful to the beholder, and Inuyasha had loved Kikyou. Her scent wasn't the same, and that made a huge difference in the long run. With her current disability, she was useless, even less of a whole person than the undead priestess. She'd allowed herself to hope, with the way Inuyasha had been so helpful and caring, that things were changing between them. But she'd been merely daydreaming, fantasizing, projecting more into his actions than there really was. 'There really are none so blind as those who will not see,' she thought bitterly.  
  
She knew he hadn't really meant the last words he'd said before leaving. He usually struck out at something or someone when he was angry with himself. That he'd chosen to lash out at her was what hurt. As if he had blamed her, even momentarily, for his wounded pride. And the words themselves...   
  
She wasn't Kikyou! she mentally screamed, burying her face in her sleeping bag to hide the tears she could feel seeping down her cheeks.  
  
Inuyasha found her that way, sobbing soundlessly into the material.   
  
He'd been careful as he approached the orange light of the campfire. The relative silence warned him that the others could possibly be sleeping. When he'd stepped out of the trees, he'd seen that he was right-- Sango and Miroku lay on opposite sides of the fire, Kagome on another. Shippo and Kirara lay curled up at the demon exterminator's head. Maruku was... apparently up in a tree, by the direction of his scent.  
  
His anger flared slightly, though he quickly tamped it down. If the winged demon was intent on harming them, surely he'd have done it already? Inuyasha didn't trust him, but he could do nothing when there was no sign of deception.  
  
He shifted restlessly from foot to foot, pondering his next move.   
  
He didn't want to frighten Kagome. She'd probably scream and wake the others.  
  
He crouched down at her side, hesitating. What if...?  
  
No, he wasn't going to believe she wouldn't forgive him.  
  
But he sure as hell wasn't going to try and apologize with the others around to criticize his attempt.  
  
Shaking his head, he reached out a hand and laid it over Kagome's where hers clutched the sleeping bag. "Kagome," he whispered.  
  
She jumped at his touch, as he'd expected, but stayed where she was. She mumbled something into the sleeping bag, but the sound was too muffled for him to understand.  
  
"Kagome, don't cry," he murmured, trying to pry her fingers away from the material she held.  
  
She turned her head just enough for him to hear, "Go away, Inuyasha."  
  
"Kagome, please."   
  
She swatted him away and turned over, so her body faced away from him. "I said, go away."  
  
The situation was familiar, he thought idly. So, she was pushing him away again? And she wasn't likely to come with him if he outright asked. Well, what had worked before would surely work again. Without saying a word, he reached one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees and began to lift her.  
  
Kagome shrieked, one arm flailing and smacking him in the head. "What part of 'go away' do you not understand?" she hissed.  
  
"No," he replied, lifting her against him and striding back into the trees. He didn't go very far-- just put enough distance between them and the campfire that she hopefully wouldn't wake the others.  
  
"What kind of answer is that? 'No?' It wasn't a yes or no question!" Her voice rose with each word. She shifted in his arms to pound her fist into his chest.  
  
He didn't even let on that he'd felt the punch. "Shh, Kagome. You'll wake the others."  
  
"I'll wake the others? Me? If I did, it'd be your fault! Take me back, I was trying to sleep."  
  
"No you weren't, you were crying," he told her, letting her feet slide to the ground before settling down himself. He held onto her hands and pulled until she reluctantly sat.  
  
"No, I wasn't, Inuyasha."  
  
"Kagome, yes you were."  
  
"No, I--"  
  
"Let's not start that again," he growled, wanting her to be quiet so he could say what he needed to and get it over with.  
  
"You started this whole thing! Dragging me off somewhere, just because you think you can get away with it, and I can't--"  
  
"Kagome."  
  
"What? Was there a point to your carrying me around in the middle of the night?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, what was it then?" She crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"I..." he started, but couldn't get anything else past the lump in his throat. He was never good with words. Whenever he meant to say something nice, the words came out wrong. He wanted desperately to say the right thing, so she'd be sure to pardon him.  
  
"Go on," she insisted.  
  
"Kagome, I..."  
  
She waited for him to continue, but he never spoke. "Well?" Her mouth was set in an angry line as her sightless eyes stared in his direction.  
  
The empty gaze made him pause. He had so much to apologize for. For not protecting her, and allowing her to be harmed. For everything he'd ever said that hurt her.  
  
Her voice had grown louder. "Inuyasha, is there something you want to say?"  
  
His ears laid back a bit in his frustration. "I..." He stopped, trying to once more gather his courage and just spit it out. "Kagome--"  
  
"Inuyasha, just take me back."  
  
She cut him off before he could go on. Now he had to try again! He was growing more and more irritated with himself. Why couldn't he just say it?  
  
Kagome continued on, oblivious to his plight since she couldn't see him. "I want to go to bed. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."  
  
"Damn it, Kagome."   
  
The rough sound of her name didn't stop her words.  
  
"Maruku said we're almost there. In fact, if we hadn't _stopped_--"  
  
The emphasis she put on the word was the last straw. She had to be quiet.   
  
"Shut up, Kagome," he commanded, loud enough to override her words. He roughly grabbed her shoulders, pulled her to him, and pressed his lips to hers.   
  
The kiss started out frustrated and fierce, Inuyasha trying to convey everything at once. Kagome stiffened in surprise, wanting to pull away and ask him what on earth he thought he was doing. She waited a few seconds too long, however, and couldn't help her lips softening against his.   
  
Inuyasha's grip on her arms relaxed as the kiss shifted from anger to understanding and calm acceptance.  
  
He broke away first, though he was reluctant to do so. He needed to get himself back under control and finish what he'd started in dragging her away from the camp in the first place. Kagome hadn't slapped him yet, which left him one up on the village men he'd seen try such a move. He just needed to remember what it was he was so determined to do, besides kissing Kagome again...  
  
He mentally shook himself, clearing his mind as best he could, and bringing his thoughts back to his earlier attempts at apologizing. "Now will you listen?" he gritted out, trying to get his breathing back under control. His hands were still on her upper arms, as much to steady himself as to reinforce his words.  
  
Kagome just sat where she was, her mind dizzily trying to figure out what had just happened. "Inu... yasha?" she got out, her voice little more than a whisper.  
  
"Kagome, _please_."  
  
She shook her head, trying to clear it. "What?"  
  
"Damn it... Kagome, I'm sorry," he growled. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I didn't mean it."  
  
"I know." She gave him a lopsided, slightly dreamy smile.  
  
"What!" he nearly yelled. "What do you mean, you _know_?"  
  
"I know you, Inuyasha. You were just striking out, like you usually do when your pride is hurt." She gave him a reassuring pat on his chest.  
  
"Kagome..." he muttered, a threatening growl starting in his throat. He didn't have to go through all that? All the worry that she wouldn't forgive him? All the frustration at not being able to tell her? He didn't--  
  
"I like the way you apologize, though," she murmured, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I forgive you."  
  
His anger deflated. They were the words he'd been waiting for, though they were unnecessary. "I'm glad," he murmured, letting go of her arms and wrapping his arms around her.  
  
They sat like that for a few moments, letting the quiet sounds of the night drift around them.  
  
Kagome yawned, finishing with a giggle. "Um, do you think you could take me back now? We need to sleep."  
  
"So we're almost there?"  
  
"Mmm hmm. We're almost on the edge of Ataru's territory."   
  
He felt guilty for deterring from their task, when the life of a windwalker was actually at stake, as opposed to the illusion's he'd tried to defend.  
  
"Then we'll be there tomorrow."  
  
"Yep. So, we have to go get lots of sleep." Kagome yawned once more. "To rest up, especially after the battle today."  
  
"I don't think you're going to need much of a push in that direction," Inuyasha murmured wryly. "You're already halfway there."  
  
"Mmm. Maybe."  
  
The hanyou shook his head as he helped her to her feet. She could barely stand.  
  
He rolled his eyes and picked her up as he had before.  
  
"I can walk," she protested.   
  
He chuckled as she snuggled into his shoulder, curling both hands against his robes. "This'll be faster."  
  
"Okay."  
  
He felt her relax more and more as he walked back towards their camp. He glanced down, finding her already asleep.  
  
A small smile tilted his lips. Apologizing hadn't been such a bad idea after all. 


	26. And Now, For My Next Trick

Here's a nice long chapter for you all! Sorry it's taken me so long to get it written, but I've been fairly busy for the past two weeks-- I had no time over the weekend to do anything, and when I did have time during the week, I was stuck! I believe it was Machel who mentioned that I couldn't have writer's block. But, I did! For about the past two weeks-- I knew what was going to happen later, but not quite how to get there yet. Then, of course, as I was trying to sleep a couple of nights ago, inspiration struck! So, hopefully now I can get the next chapters out much more quickly (as time and schoolwork allows anyway.) Thanks for being patient! :)  
  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 26: And Now, For My Next Trick...  
  
  
The scene in the mirror faded, leaving only the reflection of the flickering fire dancing across its surface.  
  
"I've delayed them to give you time to prepare. I'm certain you can organize a suitable attack before they arrive."  
  
A malicious grin spread beneath deep red eyes. "Yes, sir. We'll ambush them before they reach the gate. They won't stand a chance."  
  
"Good. I trust you will not fail."  
  
The red eyes narrowed. "I never fail."  
  
"I see." A short cough, as if to cover a laugh. "Then I will leave you to your planning. I have other business to take care of."   
  
"Of course. Leave this to me."  
  
With a swish of white, the first speaker disappeared.  
  
"I'm going to enjoy destroying your last hope, cousin of mine."  
  
  
  
"Inuyasha seems to be in a much better mood this morning, don't you think, Kagome?"  
  
"Mmmhmm," Kagome hummed absently in response to Sango's question.  
.  
The demon exterminator watched the other girl out of the corner of her eye. Every once in a while, as they walked, a small, secretive smile would cross Kagome's lips.  
  
"You don't seem to be too mad at him anymore, either."  
  
"She never stays mad at him very long," Shippo murmured from her shoulder. The kitsune crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "She didn't even 'sit' him!"  
  
"I heard that!" Inuyasha called back over his shoulder, from where he walked at the front with Maruku.  
  
The young fox demon stuck his tongue out at the hanyou's back.  
  
"Shippo, I don't think Kagome's subduing Inuyasha is just a trick for your entertainment. It's only really a punishment for when he misbehaves, or to help us keep him and ourselves safe when necessary, right Kagome?" Sango looked to the other girl once more.  
  
Kagome just hummed and nodded.  
  
"See, Shippo?"  
  
"That's not fair. She isn't even paying attention to what we're saying!" the kitsune protested, hopping up over Sango's head to her other shoulder. "Watch. Kagome, what color's the sky?"  
  
"Hmm," the girl responded, nodding as she had earlier.  
  
"See, I told you!" Shippo grinned in satisfaction, before his eyes narrowed. Maybe he could use this to his advantage. "Hey, Kagome--"   
  
"Shippo, I don't like that look," Sango murmured, wondering what the kitsune could be up to.  
  
He continued on as if he hadn't heard her. "...Can I have a lollipop?"  
  
"Mmmhmm."  
  
"Can I get it myself?"  
  
"Mmmhmm."  
  
"Shippo," Sango started to scold, shaking her head at his antics.  
  
He just grinned, leaning over Kagome's shoulder to dig in her yellow backpack for the desired treat. He found one fairly quickly, after watching the girl each time she found one for him. He took off the wrapper and popped the sucker into his mouth, smiling at the sweet taste.  
  
Kagome still hadn't noticed.  
  
"Wa' on'?" the kitsune asked Sango, the sucker stuck on one cheek.  
  
"Um... no thanks, Shippo."  
  
"'Kay."  
  
Shippo was then quiet for a few moments as he enjoyed the candy. Sango watched his eyes light mischievously when she stole another glance at Kagome.  
  
"Shippo, what are you up to now?"  
  
An even larger grin than the one he'd sported before split his face. "Hey, Kagome. Doesn't Inuyasha deserve to be 'sat' for the way he acted yesterday?" he said quietly, eyes darting to Inuyasha to see if the hanyou heard him.  
  
"Mmmhmm," she responded, predictably.  
  
"Well, why don't you--" He was cut off by a hand clamping over his mouth.  
  
"Shippo!" Sango cried, unaware that the three in front of them had stopped the glance back.  
  
Kagome also snapped out of her dazed state and frowned slightly in confusion.  
  
"Is there something wrong, Sango?" Miroku asked.  
  
Sango flushed and removed her hand from the kitsune's face, waving at the others with a sheepish smile. "Nothing, nothing," she murmured.  
  
"Keh," Inuyasha muttered before turning around and continuing on.  
  
Maruku and Miroku waited a second before following suit.  
  
"Why did we stop?" Kagome asked, once she and Sango started walking again. She vaguely recognized the weight on her shoulder must be Shippo.  
  
"No reason," Sango responded, a little too quickly.  
  
Shippo snickered to himself, knowing he'd at least get away with keeping the candy.  
  
"Shippo?"  
  
Then again, maybe he wouldn't...  
  
"What's that noise?"  
  
"Um... nothin'?"  
  
She heard the slightly muffled tone to his voice. "Did you get in my backpack without asking again?"  
  
"Uh... I think I'm going to go sit on Miroku's shoulder now."  
  
Kagome sighed as he scampered off of her.  
  
"He did ask, Kagome," Sango murmured beside her, biting her lip to keep from laughing.  
  
"He did?"  
  
"Yes. You didn't hear him?"  
  
Kagome thought about it, then responded honestly. "No, I didn't."  
  
"You must've been lost in thought, then."  
  
"Well, yeah, I guess you could say that," Kagome replied sheepishly.  
  
"Were you thinking about anything in particular?"  
  
Kagome turned her face away, hoping to hide the blush she could feel creeping over her cheeks. "No." Her voice came out a little too high, but she hoped Sango wouldn't notice.  
  
"Really? You were out of it for quite a while."  
  
"Ah, it was nothing, really!" Kagome turned back and smiled, hoping to forestall any more questions.  
  
"Did it have anything to do with why Inuyasha's been in a better mood?"  
  
"You noticed that?" She shook her head at herself before protesting, "I mean, no, no! Not at all!"  
  
"You were that absorbed in 'nothing'? You were smiling about something."  
  
"Hmm. Yeah..." The smile Sango was referring to crossed Kagome's lips again.  
  
"Nevermind. You can tell me later," the demon exterminator told the other girl in an almost conspiratorial whisper.  
  
"Mmmhmm...."  
  
Shaking her head, Sango allowed silence to stretch between them once again. This really wasn't the time for any of them to be daydreaming. They were very close to Ataru's stronghold, and needed to stay on alert for anything.   
  
She glanced around, focusing her senses on their surroundings.  
  
It was then that she noticed the quiet.  
  
The others weren't talking, but that wasn't all-- the silence carried a more ominous feel.  
  
The breeze rustled the trees faintly, but no birds called to each other. Nor any insects.  
  
Something wasn't right.  
  
Quickening her pace gradually, so that Kagome would follow her and not trip, the demon exterminator caught up with Miroku where he'd been walking ahead of the two girls.  
  
"You feel it, then?" he murmured, without giving her a chance to speak.  
  
"Yes. It's too quiet."  
  
"Something is there. Waiting." The monk covertly glanced around, trying to catch sight of whatever it was that lay in hiding. "It has been for some time."  
  
Sango bit her lip, mentally berating herself for not paying more attention. "It's not attacking us for some reason."  
  
"It must be holding out for just the right moment--"  
  
Just as Miroku was finishing the sentence, a great rush suddenly filled the air.  
  
Sango glanced upwards and then immediately dove for the ground, dragging Kagome with her.  
  
"What's going on?" the other girl asked, wincing as her knee connected painfully with the hard dirt.  
  
"We're being attacked!" the demon exterminator cried, pushing herself to her feet and unslinging Hiraikotsu. She held the large boomerang up as a shield as one of several dark-winged demons charged her. She swung the weapon at the offender, but missed as it swept away.  
  
Miroku swung his staff at one of the other youkai, grinning slightly as it connected, then quickly bracing himself as he saw another coming toward him. Shippo latched onto the monk's neck, hoping the demons wouldn't think he was some kind of snack.  
  
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he slashed at the two windwalkers swinging large tree branches directly at him. He managed to snag one of the branches in his claws, and ripped it away from his attacker. The demon flew higher, while the other snuck behind him, knocking the hanyou forward with the force of its swing.  
  
Maruku made a grab for the same demon's ankle. He heard a whooshing sound behind him, however, and turned just in time to avoid a blow to the back of his head, dropping to the ground and rolling over. He caught the piece of dead wood aimed at his stomach, tossing the attacker overhead before leaping to his feet.  
  
Inuyasha growled as he shoved himself to his feet, jumping high to grab one of the winged demons and pull it down to the ground. "How about you try a fair fight?" he snarled, slamming the youkai into the dirt.  
  
Kagome struggled to her feet, shrieking and throwing herself down once more as she heard something fly past her head. 'Maybe I should just stay down there,' she thought, pushing herself up onto her hands and knees.  
  
"Go stay with Kagome!" Miroku told the frightened kitsune on his shoulder.  
  
"O-okay!" Shippo cried, climbing down the monk's robes and darting past him. He made a beeline for Sango, seeing that Kagome was just beyond the demon exterminator. One of the attacking youkai swooped after him. "Aah!" Shippo cried, huddling on the ground and covering his head with his hands.  
  
The back of his shirt was snatched in a clawed hand, and he was carried up into the air.  
  
"Drop him!" Maruku yelled, leaping after the youkai holding the flailing kitsune.  
  
"Certainly!" the demon grinned wickedly, letting Shippo drop from its claws.  
  
"Aaah!" the kitsune cried, quickly using his magic to change into his pink balloon form, so he could float to the ground.  
  
One of the other swooping youkai caught him, however, and tossed him off as if he was the ball he'd seen the younger windwalkers playing with in the village.  
  
"Hey!" After somersaulting through the air, Shippo was again caught and thrown. The motion was making him dizzy. He closed his eyes, hoping they'd just let him go soon, but that only seemed to make the feeling in his stomach worse.  
  
After several more tosses, he was dropped, almost gently, on the ground.  
  
Sango spun around, her eyes registering Shippo behind her, just before she was thrown several feet forward.   
  
Shippo rubbed his head as he sat up, hoping the roiling of his insides was going to calm down before he was sick. He opened one eye, hoping nothing else was coming for him.  
  
What he saw looked rather strange. Several demons were circling above them, with just a few attacking. Why wouldn't they all come down at once?  
  
Quickly crawling towards Sango, the kitsune instructed her to look as well.  
  
"What are they doing?" the demon exterminator asked, puzzled as she rose to her feet. As she watched, a few of the airborne youkai flew off, detaching themselves one by one, as if by some signal they were called away.  
  
"They're leaving!" she cried, running towards the others to help ward off the few still diving at them.  
  
Maruku looked up as the demon he'd been wrestling with took a swipe at him, then suddenly retreated.  
  
The two swooping at Miroku headed for Inuyasha and dove, knocking him away from the youkai he'd been fighting. The demon then had enough free space to launch into the air.  
  
The other two followed quickly, swinging their tree branches at Maruku as they flew past him.  
  
The windwalker ducked, then stared after their retreating figures.  
  
"What was that?" Miroku asked, rubbing his shoulder as he watched the demons until they flew out of sight.  
  
"I am not certain," Maruku replied, settling in a crouch on the ground as he scanned the area.  
  
"They ran away! Come back here, you wimpy birds!" Inuyasha yelled, ready to run after them.  
  
"No, wait, Inuyasha," Sango murmured, placing a restraining hand on the hanyou's arm.  
  
Maruku stood, dark eyes narrowed as he folded his wings against his back. "None of them was Ataru. They most likely were sent by him to ambush us, in the hopes that he, himself, would not have to face us."  
  
Miroku nodded. "So we must still be on our guard, then. He may send another group once that one returns."  
  
Sango rested Hiraikotsu on the ground, not yet ready to sling it on her back in case it would be needed once more. "They weren't all attacking, though. Some of them were flying around above. And they never truly tried to hurt us." She paused, considering the situation with a small frown. "Could it have been a distraction?"  
  
Miroku cocked his head to the side. "Possibly, but for what purpose?"  
  
The others were silent for a moment, before the quiet was broken by a rather loud growl.  
  
"Where the _hell_ is Kagome?"  
  
  
  
"Not one word, human," a rough voice growled in Kagome's ear as clawed hands snatched her back into the trees to the side of the path. One hand covered her mouth, and she tried to bite it, but was only jerked around and shoved face-first into the ground. She struggled, but her hands and feet were quickly bound with what felt like rope before her captor sped off to some unknown destination. 


	27. Scent of a Young Woman

Here's another one, guys! And obviously, I don't own the movie from which I took the title of this chapter, nor do I own Inuyasha.  
  
Anybody have guesses as to who Kagome's captor is?  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 27: Scent of a (Young) Woman  
  
  
"What do you mean, Shippo was supposed to be watching her?" Inuyasha nearly roared at Miroku. His eyes were huge as he stared incredulously at the monk.  
  
Sango and Shippo were wisely staying out of the argument and were searching through the surrounding trees and shrubs for their missing friend. The kitsune was hoping Inuyasha wouldn't direct any of his anger at him, and then proceed to pound him into the dirt for not protecting Kagome. He felt guilty enough as it was, without anyone else blaming him for her disappearance.  
  
Maruku's dark eyes narrowed as he ignored the enraged hanyou and launched into the air to track the retreating youkai until they disappeared from sight.  
  
"Shippo was with me when I last saw Kagome," Miroku responded in what was meant to be a calming tone. "I told him to go stay with her while we were fighting off the youkai--"  
  
The soothing manner in which the monk spoke was lost on Inuyasha, however, as the hanyou cut in before he could finish speaking. "What the _hell_ did you do that for?"  
  
Miroku held up a hand to forestall any further interruptions. He raised an eyebrow as Inuyasha began to growl. "I asked Shippo to stay with Kagome, as the rest of us were needed to ward off the attackers. He may not be much, but he was more protection than nothing. Soon after he ran off, he was picked up by one of the demons, who began tossing him around. He never reached Kagome before they left."  
  
"And they apparently took her with them!"  
  
Maruku landed on the ground once more, a grim set to his face that only Miroku noticed. The monk's gaze followed the windwalker's steps as they led him to a place almost across the path from where Sango and Shippo were searching. Maruku eyed the ground before moving off the road into the forest.  
  
"Inuyasha, I watched them leave. None of them had her," Sango called in exasperation from several feet down the path. The arguing was not exactly helping them to find Kagome. "It would help quite a bit if you'd stop yelling about her being missing, and use that nose of yours to help us find her."  
  
The hanyou turned and stared at Sango for a moment, before sending the monk a glare that said the discussion was not over. He took several steps towards where Sango stood, close to where Kagome had last been seen. After sniffing experimentally, he caught a faint breath of Kagome's familiar scent, and followed it. He glanced at the ground as he passed between two trees, unknowingly the same path Maruku had taken moments before.  
  
Had Kagome stumbled off into the trees to keep herself away from the battle, and gotten lost in the woods? Surely they would have heard her calling if that was the case.  
  
Sango, Shippo, and Miroku followed Inuyasha a few feet the forest, knowing that his ability to track Kagome by scent was much more reliable than their random searching.  
  
Inuyasha frowned as his nose picked up another faint trail. This one was slightly familiar, though he could not recall where he had found it before.  
  
"It may not have been one of those that attacked us, but it was most definitely a youkai like myself."  
  
The voice startled Inuyasha out of his musings. He glanced up in surprise, to be met by Maruku's gaze. The windwalker stood a few feet in front of him, near a lightly trampled area of grass.  
  
The slight confusion he felt must have shown on his face as Maruku gestured to the ground before speaking once more.  
  
"There are a few feathers here. Fairly unclean ones, at that."  
  
Inuyasha crouched down near the dark items the winged demon indicated. The other scent was stronger there, and mingled with Kagome's. "How did you find these before I did?" the hanyou asked, looking up at Miroku through narrowed eyes.  
  
"Yes, how did you figure out this was the way to go?" Miroku asked as he, Sango, and Shippo caught up with them.  
  
"I am a hunter." The single word was obviously meant as an explanation. As Inuyasha merely cocked an eyebrow in response, the windwalker clarified further. "We are trained to follow fainter trails than the one that led here. My sense of smell is not as strong as yours, but there are other clues, such as the slightly scuffed dirt to the side of the path and the trampling of the plantlife that led to this place." Glancing at the ground once more, he gestured at the flattened grass. "There was some sort of struggle here, and then whoever took the girl continued on in that direction." He pointed ahead of them, in a line almost parallel with the path they had been traveling on.  
  
"The kidnapper was on foot, then?" Sango asked, eyeing the forest floor herself before looking to Maruku for confirmation.  
  
"Indeed. For the next several feet, at least. A very curious idea, as one able to leave behind feathers would most likely fly. There is always the possibility that the trail will end further on, once there are fewer trees."  
  
The demon exterminator cocked her head to the side, eyes following the trampled grass as far as she was able. "Whoever it was could possibly have wanted to stay hidden beneath the trees until far enough away that we wouldn't see them flying overhead, taking Kagome with them."   
  
"Keh. We're wasting time," Inuyasha snorted, rising to his feet. "If they were on foot, then we should be able to catch up!" he told them, poised to rush ahead.  
  
"Inuyasha, we don't know what we're heading into. We can't just rush off," Sango told him, laying a restraining hand on his arm.  
  
The hanyou growled slightly before moving off at a fairly quick pace, wanting to get going before he lost the scent, even if he couldn't run. Sango had been right in stopping him, he knew. Without knowing who it was that had taken Kagome, they had no idea what lay in wait for them.  
  
The other four stragglers followed Inuyasha, his pace making still increasing the distance between them, however.  
  
"But why would a windwalker want to kidnap Kagome?" Shippo asked, biting his lip where he sat on Sango's shoulder.   
  
Maruku eyed the ground as they walked, watching for signs that the girl's captor had deviated from the path. "It is possible that Ataru heard of our approach, and those demons were his henchman. That could either mean he knows about Lady Kagome, or that the attackers merely picked the easiest of us to grab and hold as hostage."  
  
"There is still also the possibility that Naraku is involved," Miroku added. "Which would increase the likelihood that Ataru has heard of Kagome, and knew to kidnap her. But one thing puzzles me. I believe that you told us that Ataru was of the same clan as Lady Tamaeri, correct?"  
  
The windwalker nodded in response.  
  
"Which would then mean, if he was the one that kidnapped Kagome himself, he planted those dark feathers on the ground to throw us off."  
  
"That is true. But I do not believe he was here at all. If he has shards of that jewel, the Shikon no Tama, in his possession, he would probably think himself to be invincible and would attack us on his own."  
  
"Hurry up!" Inuyasha called impatiently, pausing momentarily for them to almost catch up before he resumed his pace.  
  
Sango's brow furrowed as she quickened her steps slightly. "Lord Maruku, I thought you said Ataru hates those of any clan but his own?"  
  
"You are quite right. He does."  
  
"Then why would those youkai have been sent by him? All of them appeared to have dark wings."  
  
"They may be criminals, or others that he took from their homes elsewhere, and made into his servants. He can be very cruel, and may well torture them for even the slightest infraction. If he promised them to treat them more fairly later, or to release them, I am certain they would be willing to fight for him, and do ask he asked."  
  
Miroku nodded after considering the windwalker's words. "That is the way of any tyrant. He will more than likely not carry out his promise, though they will believe anything he says."  
  
Sango shifted the weight of Hiraikotsu on her back slightly, her other hand gesturing vaguely in the air. "I guess that would also explain their lack of weapons. I would think they'd carry bows and arrows, or swords even, more like your hunters."   
  
"Ataru would not think to outfit them before sending them on to their task. He would not care whether they survived the fight or not." Maruku paused a moment before continuing on thoughtfully. "We should expect another attack, if all they were after earlier was Lady Kagome."  
  
"Oi, we don't have all day here! We have to get to Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled back at them, fidgeting where he stood, arms folded across his chest and a scowl on his face. He repeated his earlier actions in waiting until they were close enough for his peace of mind before walking on.  
  
"Hey, not all of us can walk as fast as you!" Shippo called in return.  
  
"Not that you're the one walking, Shippo," Sango reminded the kitsune with a small wry smile.  
  
"Well... still!"  
  
Silence followed the young fox demon's indignant response.  
  
Several minutes later, Sango paused for a moment to eye the forest floor. "Don't you think it's a little strange that whoever kidnapped Kagome was still on foot at this point? Especially if it was a windwalker?"  
  
"Perhaps the strongest of the servants had wounded wings, and were unable to fly," Maruku offered.  
  
"But, wouldn't they be picked up at some point by the others, then?"  
  
"They would wait until they were long out of range for us to see them in the air."  
  
Sango shook her head, still puzzled. "But we are quite a bit away from where we fought the youkai. Surely by now--"  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
"I believe that should answer your question, Sango," Miroku chuckled at Inuyasha's outburst ahead of them.  
  
Maruku lengthened his stride, stopping at the hanyou's side. "Can you still pick up the scent, Lord Inuyasha?"  
  
"Keh. Of course," Inuyasha replied, turning his face away and sniffing once more to catch the scent that had grown fainter.  
  
"Good. We must travel more quickly, then. And keep our eyes open for any further trouble."  
  
"We can't take to the air yet, though," Sango told them. "Kirara's not recovered." The fire youkai had taken a blow to the head during the fight, almost as soon as she transformed. She was currently resting in the demon exterminator's arms.  
  
"Then we will go as quickly as we can. There is still the possibility of an ambush at any time. We are drawing closer and closer to Ataru's territory. Even if he has not sent another group to deter us, there will be a few of his minions about."  
  
Nods of agreement were given and Shippo sighed at the thought of another fight.  
  
"Before we move on, Lord Maruku, I do have one question." The windwalker turned around to face Miroku. "You aided Lady Kagome in firing one of her arrows at Naraku, and she mentioned your speaking to her telepathically. Would you be able to do so once again?"  
  
"Why the hell didn't anyone mention trying that before?" Inuyasha growled out, glaring at the monk, who ignored him.  
  
  
  
Kagome had given up trying to loosen the ropes binding her wrists and ankles. Her skin was sore from her attempts, and she dearly wished she had a knife hidden somewhere on her person like the heroines in movies.   
  
She'd stopped wriggling to free herself once she felt the wind rushing by. If she wasn't mistaken, the slight dropping of her stomach meant they'd taken to the air. The thought terrified her, and she absolutely did _not_ want to be dropped.   
  
She was fairly certain her kidnapper was a windwalker, though many other demons did have the ability to fly. The changes in the rush of wind seemed to indicate the beat of wings.  
  
Who was it, and where on earth were they taking her? This was definitely not the time for her to blind, but if she hadn't been, they most likely would've blindfolded her.  
  
Sighing, she shifted her feet slightly to ease the bite of the rope into her ankles.  
  
~Lady Kagome?~  
  
"Wha-?" she tried to respond, though the sound was muffled around the hand still covering her mouth.  
  
~You do not need to speak aloud. It is only me, Maruku. Are you all right?~  
  
Kagome resisted the urge to laugh hysterically at the question. ~As all right as I can be when I can't see anything, have no idea where I am, and I'm being carried around like a sack of potatoes!~  
  
~I see. At least you are conscious. You know nothing of your captors?~  
  
~They must be windwalkers. We're in the air right now. That's all I know. None of them have spoken, besides the one that told me to keep quiet.~  
  
~We came to the same conclusion.~  
  
Kagome was becoming more frustrated with the windwalker's calm tone. ~Can't you guys just hurry up and come get me?~  
  
~We have no idea where you are, nor who has you. We are tracking you and your captors at this point, and we will find you when the trail ends.~  
  
~Just hurry up!~  
  
~Yes, my lady.~  
  
Apparently males of any race could be as irritating as any other, Kagome thought, wanting to bang her head in frustration against whoever carried her, but not wanting to cause them to drop her with the unexpected motion. 


	28. Friend Or Foe?

Yes! My parallel ray tracer works! Yes, I'm sure to you guys that means nothing, but it means that the program I present for my seminar project on March 31 is done but for maybe some minor changes! Now I need to work on the PowerPoint presentation... what fun. Along with my other project... and some math problems... and...  
  
I am very very sorry this chapter took so long in getting out. I meant to get a lot written over spring break the week before last, but I ended up baby-sitting, and either having no time, or being too worn out. This chapter did not want to be written for some reason. I'm hoping the next few will be done faster, but at this point I can't promise anything. I've got two big projects, one mentioned before, as well as lots of other school work to do. Plus the big job hunt that is not going very well. So please be patient. :)  
  
And thanks to all of you who review, and even those who don't. It makes me very happy to know that there are people out there reading this, and wanting it to continue! :)  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 28: Friend Or Foe?  
"Mmmf!" Kagome grunted as she was jarred rather harshly. Her captor had apparently landed.  
  
There were no voices that she could hear, but there didn't necessarily have to be, if they were all windwalkers.   
  
Where was Inuyasha? And everyone else? Maruku had told her they were on their way, so why hadn't they found her yet?  
  
She wriggled a bit, hoping to ease the hold of whoever held her.  
  
"Be still," the same voice she'd heard earlier barked, and she was shifted, then dumped unceremoniously to the ground.  
  
Kagome yelped as she hit the dirt, thankful at least that it wasn't concrete, or something equally as hard.  
  
"_Quiet_, human." The command was growled directly in her face, the breath of whoever spoke fanning her cheek. "If you value your life, you _will_ keep quiet."  
  
There was something vaguely familiar about the voice... but she couldn't quite place it.  
  
Unfortunately, while Kagome was trying to puzzle through where she'd previously heard the voice, she was rolled into a large piece of cloth, picked up, and slung over what felt like someone's shoulder.  
  
Her protest muffled by the heavy material, she struggled as best she could, but the hands wrapped around her side and her legs squeezed tightly to keep her still. Sighing, she settled down, but stayed tense, her heart beating quickly.  
  
Where were they taking her? Did they mean her harm? She hadn't really thought about it until now, but the reality of the situation was sinking in. She was confident that Inuyasha and the others would arrive to save her. They'd never failed to do so before. But what was taking them so long?  
  
  
  
"Damn it, we need to move faster!" Inuyasha growled, spinning around to face the others from where he'd been walking several feet in front of them. Though he was scowling, his eyes revealed the frustration and worry he felt. "I could've found them by now!"  
  
"Yeah, and you would've gotten in trouble at the same time, too," Shippo replied mockingly, arms folded over his chest. "It's your fault she got kidnapped, anyway."  
  
"What?! My fault? You little brat...!"  
  
Shippo gripped Miroku's robes in his tiny claws, trying for all his might to hide in them and escape the hanyou's wrath, but his efforts were in vain. He was lifted up by the tail, Inuyasha's golden eyes narrowed and focused on him.  
  
"How was it my fault, Shippo? You were the one who was supposed to watch her!"  
  
"You're supposed to protect her!" the kitsune yelled, glaring back. "You--" He trailed off, seeing the guilt Inuyasha was trying to hide.  
  
"Fighting about it isn't exactly getting us any closer to finding Kagome, you two," Sango scolded from a few feet ahead of them.  
  
Inuyasha looked at the others, finally noticing that they'd all managed to pass him and were waiting rather impatiently.  
  
"Keh," Inuyasha snorted, tossing Shippo towards Miroku before following the same path on foot.  
  
The kitsune squealed before landing with a thump against the monk's chest. "Hey! You could've just brought me over here!"  
  
"We must be very cautious from here on in," Maruku murmured quietly before Inuyasha could respond, gaze sweeping over the trees around them. "We are inside Ataru's territory, fairly close to his stronghold, if my memory of this area and the map Lady Tamaeri possesses is correct."  
  
"So that bastard _is_ the one who took her!" Inuyasha accused.  
  
"Though my sense of smell is not as acute as yours, I do know his scent. He has not been here." The windwalker held up a hand to forestall any interruptions from the hanyou. "I know, that is not to say that those demons we encountered earlier were not sent by him."  
  
Inuyasha snorted, moving on without waiting to see if the others were following.  
  
"Lord Maruku, if I may say so, you do not seem very convinced that Ataru is the one who sent those demons after us, and kidnapped Kagome," Miroku commented, keeping his tone low, though he doubted his words would escape Inuyasha's demonic hearing.  
  
The winged youkai's blank expression did not falter as he responded, "It is far more important to worry about finding the girl first. We can dwell on who possibly captured her at a later time, if it is necessary."  
  
Sango bit her lip, considering Maruku's words. "But couldn't knowing who took her help us to be prepared for getting her back?"  
  
"Indeed. For now, we assume that Ataru is the one who took her, and prepare for battle with his band of marauders. We are in his domain, after all, and should be on the lookout for any attackers, whether he kidnapped Lady Kagome or not."  
  
The demon exterminator nodded, absently stroking Kirara's head as she fell silent.  
  
Shippo bit his lip and tried to keep from worrying as he clung to Miroku's shoulder.  
  
They continued on for a few more steps before Maruku added as if the conversation had never stopped, "In fact, I believe we are about to have company."  
  
  
  
Kagome could feel the lumbering gait of her kidnapper. At least, she thought it was her kidnapper that had picked her back up. If it was, the pronounced limp was fake-- when they'd been running with her earlier, the steps had been even and quick.   
  
Each step was jarring her, bouncing her stomach into the shoulder of whoever held her.  
  
What was with the faking? And _where_ on earth were they taking her?  
  
The cloth she'd been rolled into was beginning to feel too stifling. It was getting harder to breath. Wrapped as she was, all warmth was trapped inside, and she was starting to sweat.  
  
"You! Move faster!"  
  
The gruff voice startled Kagome into stiffening, as she hadn't been expecting to hear anything. She held her breath, waiting to see if whoever it was would say anything more.  
  
Her captor sped up the slightest bit, but still continued to limp heavily.  
  
"I said, faster!"  
  
The voice was closer, but it wasn't one she recognized.  
  
"Faster!"  
  
Kagome would've leaped back if she could've moved, at the hard thump she felt close to her head. She felt her captor wince slightly, but they kept moving.   
  
Why didn't they move faster? To keep up appearances? So that the fact that whatever he or she carried wasn't what it appeared to be? But then... why were they keeping it a secret?  
  
"Leave her alone!"  
  
Another new voice. And still one she didn't recognize. Not that she really expected to.  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"I said, leave her alone!"  
  
"How dare you speak to me in such a way!"  
  
Kagome knew a fight was going to break out. She hoped the one who stood up for whoever carried her wouldn't get hurt too badly. Since they were...   
  
Wait. Her?  
  
"Pick on someone your own size!"  
  
Kagome hardly noticed the other voice that had joined in. Nor did she hear the gasps from closer to where her captor continued to move.  
  
A female was carrying her?  
  
She winced as her captor's shoulder bit into her stomach a little more forcefully than before. The gait was less pronounced, and they were moving more quickly.  
  
"I'll teach you to talk back to me, you filthy crows!"  
  
"You can't take all of us!"  
  
The angry voices were fading. What was going on?  
  
Kagome yelped as her head bounced against her kidnapper's back when they quickly came to a stop. She was shifted down, no longer carried over the shoulder, but held tightly in arms as they moved on once more.  
  
This time, the steps were quick, but quiet. She couldn't really hear them through the material that covered her, though she strained to catch any sound.  
  
She could hear the breathing of her captor, but that was all.  
  
The silence around them was different than it had been earlier, however. She couldn't quite define what the change was, but... maybe things seemed more... echoey? Why would there be more of an echo of even the faintest sounds?  
  
Were they inside?  
  
That had to be it. The difference must be sounds bouncing off the walls of wherever they were.  
  
Kagome grinned to herself, almost belatedly remembering that she was supposed to be quiet, and stifling the laugh that wanted to escape. Inuyasha would be proud of her for discerning the sounds around her, she thought idly.  
  
The arms holding her suddenly tightened, squeezing her own still-bound arms painfully against her back.  
  
Her captor had stopped, and was holding very still.  
  
Kagome gritted her teeth, hoping they would soon move, and release her before the pain made her cry out.  
  
To her relief, the grip on her loosened as her carrier let out a breath. They were on their way again seconds later.  
  
The quick stopping occurred a few more times, but thankfully, the hold was never as tight as it had been the first time.  
  
After the fifth stop, she heard other footsteps, coming closer. But her captor didn't halt as they'd done before. Instead, they continued on for several more steps before half-dropping Kagome to the ground.  
  
"Hey!" she nearly yelled.  
  
"Quiet, human! Do you want them to hear you?"  
  
The harsh whisper was accompanied by her being unrolled, rather ungently.  
  
"What?" Kagome asked, trying to keep her tone to as low a level as she could.  
  
The voice didn't answer. Instead, she heard the material that had held her being thrown hastily to the side. She was thrown over onto her stomach, her cheek hitting hard earth beneath her.  
  
"Hey! Can't you be a little more gentle?"  
  
Her feet were unbound, and next her hands. In her captor's haste, the tip of what felt like a knife knicked the skin of her wrist as the rope binding her wrists was severed.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
She would've shrieked the protest, but was afraid they'd use the knife to cut something other than a tiny bit of skin out of her wrist if she wasn't quiet.  
  
"Where the heck are we?"  
  
Again, no answer. She was yanked upwards by the arm, and set on her feet, though her captor still kept a fierce grip on her upper arm. She felt breath on her cheek as she was shoved backwards into what felt like a wall.  
  
"You are going to help him."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Morihiko. You are going to help him."  
  
Kagome threw her head back, knocking it on the wall behind her. She hardly felt it in her surprise. "What? Morihiko?"  
  
"You and your friends were on your way here to rescue him. You will get him out."  
  
Kagome's head was reeling. Her captor wanted her to get the windwalker leader's mate out of wherever they were on her own? How was she going to do that? Especially if he wasn't conscious?  
  
"How?"  
  
"You will get him out. Ataru deserves to lose his precious hostage."  
  
Kagome shook her head in denial. She couldn't even see! How was she going to get herself out of there, let alone an unconscious demon?  
  
"But I can't--"  
  
"You will get him out. We have stalled the one bringing the herbs, so he will wake."  
  
"But--"  
  
"There is no time!"  
  
"But why--"  
  
"They are coming, that's why, you stupid human!"  
  
"Why are you helping us?" Kagome finally managed to rush out, before her captor could go on.  
  
"I'm not helping you. I'm hurting Ataru. He needs to pay."  
  
"For what?"  
  
The grip on her arm tightened. "What do you care?"  
  
"I--"  
  
The vehemence in the voice cut her off. "He will pay for ignoring me. For lying, and treating my family as slaves when they offered to serve him loyally."  
  
"For ignoring--?"  
  
"He _will_ pay. You will help Morihiko, and your friends will take Ataru's power away from him."  
  
"How-- Wait, take his power away? What--"  
  
"Just as you took them from me, you will take his shards away."  
  
"Take his-- Shiori??"  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
((A/N: How many of you guessed? ::G::)) 


	29. Finders, Keepers

I'm very, very sorry for the long time between updates! I've had lots to do in the past month. It's almost all over, though. 9 days until graduation, as of May 1!  
  
My seminar presentation is done! And I got an A on it. So that's one good thing. And I took the GRE a couple of weeks ago, so that's over with, too. I've submitted my grad. school application, and gotten my other project and homework done. Now it's finals time! I'm getting to the point where I can think again. Once I'm done with finals tomorrow, I'll be able to really think about things other than school, which will be nice! Well, until Fall anyway... (hopefully!)  
  
Now that I stayed up until 1:30 studying last night for my abstract algebra final... and I've survived through that final, I decided to give you guys a present!  
  
On a side note, don't worry, I plan to tie up all loose ends I've created.  
  
Anyway, on with the story!  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 29: Finders, Keepers  
  
"I was beginning to think you didn't remember me."  
  
Kagome was still trying to digest all that the winged demon had been telling her. She vaguely registered the smugness in Shiori's tone.  
  
"Yes, I _know_ they're not going to be held back for much longer, Eisuke," Shiori growled, the sound off slightly, as if she was turned away.   
  
Someone else had approached. Kagome had heard footsteps, but had been too absorbed in Shiori's speech to realize that they had stopped. Was it one of Shiori's brothers or cousins that Maruku had told them about? "Who's--"  
  
She flinched at the crack of flesh hitting the wall beside her head.  
  
"There's no time for idle pleasantries, human!"  
  
Sharp nails cut into her arm once more as she was grabbed away from the wall.  
  
"Wait! How do you expect me to--"  
  
"You will find a way. If not, Ataru's men will find you, and you will most certainly not like what happens then."  
  
"But why me? Why not one of the others?"  
  
"You were the easiest to capture." She felt Shiori lean closer and turned her face away from the breath that fanned her cheek. "A favor in return for mercy given," the windwalker quickly murmured, as if she didn't want whoever else was with them to hear.  
  
With that, Kagome was dragged to the side and forward.   
  
"You have little time, human, and are wasting it by talking."  
  
"But why can't you get him out?"  
  
"I have other plans. Eisuke get the chains."  
  
The sound of metal striking metal rang in the air. Kagome winced at the shrill sound just as it came again. It had echoed closer to her ears than things had before, which had to mean she was in a smaller room. "Can't they hear the noise?" she nearly shrieked.   
  
"It doesn't matter."  
  
"Yes it does! How do you expect me to get him out, if they know something's up?"  
  
"Your friends will distract them."  
  
"But they won't be right here!"  
  
"There is no time for this! When he wakes, you will help him leave."  
  
"How long will that be?"  
  
"However long it takes! Eisuke, we're leaving!"  
  
"How will I find my way out?"  
  
"Take two lefts, and two rights out of this chamber."  
  
"But, I can't--" She was roughly thrown away from Shiori as the winged demon growled slightly. She vaguely registered the footsteps pounding away as she fell to the ground, landing rather hard on her behind. "-- see," she finished, though she knew the end of the sentence had fallen on an empty room.  
  
Kagome remained on the dirt floor for a moment, drumming her fingers and letting out a huff of breath. "Well, first things first," she murmured aloud. "Find a wall."  
  
  
  
A faint twang and a rush of air was all that heralded the arrow that skimmed past Inuyasha's shoulder, embedding itself in the ground behind him.  
  
All had been quiet after Maruku's low warning; too quiet, really, as if the trees had ceased their rustling in anticipation of the battle to come. The sudden stillness had made it easy for the hanyou to pick out the whoosh of air, and to shift slightly to the side before the arrow could strike its intended mark. After all, he'd had lots of practice avoiding arrows. Except for when it really counted... but he couldn't dwell on that now. He had to concentrate on getting through whatever forces Ataru had sent for them and finding Kagome.  
  
He sniffed the air, eyes narrowing as he picked up the trail of scent wafting towards him from his attackers. They were hidden in the trees, but that didn't mean he couldn't find them.  
  
He vaguely recognized Sango and Miroku readying themselves for battle where they stood on the path behind him.  
  
Maruku, beside him, readied his bow, drawing one of the few arrows that remained in the quiver at his hip.  
  
"Show yourself!" the windwalker called, training his weapon on the trees to the left side of the path a ways ahead.  
  
His only answer was a light breeze that filtered through the trees.  
  
Inuyasha took a slight step forward, fists clenched as he scanned the trees. "Damn it, this is taking too long!" he growled when he found no sign of movement.  
  
"Be patient, Lord Inuyasha," Maruku murmured, attempting to calm the anxious hanyou.  
  
"Patient! You want me to be _patient_ at a time like this? We have to find Kagome!" Inuyasha cracked his knuckles menacingly, taking a deep breath of air to lock his nose onto the scent of their attackers. "If they won't come out on their own, we'll just have to force them out!" the half dog demon cried, shooting forwards before anyone could stop him.  
  
Instantly, several arrows rained down on him from all sides.   
  
"Inuyasha!" Sango and Miroku cried in surprise, the monk instinctively holding a hand out as if to restrain the hanyou.  
  
None of the missiles found their mark.   
  
"Do not kill them, Inuyasha! They will be dealt with and punished for their crimes!"  
  
Inuyasha didn't bother to turn around and acknowledge Maruku's request. He frowned disapprovingly, but decided to switch tactics and find ways to merely knock the attackers unconscious, or maim them in some non-fatal way. It meant he couldn't use Tetsusaiga, but he didn't need it anyway. He could beat the stupid birds easily, one way or another.   
  
He continued charging forward, leaping into one of the trees beside the path. He snatched the arrow pointed at his chest away from the winged demon that crouched among the branches. The wooden shaft snapped in his fist and he tossed it away carelessly.   
  
The demon's eyes narrowed as it waited for the hanyou's next move.  
  
Inuyasha grinned, baring his fangs and cracking his knuckles, before taking a swipe at the youkai. He missed, but had expected as much as the demon jumped from the tree into the open air above the path, dirty white wings unfolding.  
  
Another arrow whizzed past, skimming the feathers on the bottom edge of the demon's right wing. With a snarl of surprise, it turned towards the new threat, eyes widening as they locked on Maruku fitting another arrow to his bow.  
  
Inuyasha seized the opportunity that presented itself. He leaped after the youkai, wrapping his arms around its neck.  
  
The demon clawed at his forearms, but was unable to break his hold. It tried to toss him off, but he stubbornly held on. It flew towards the recently vacated tree, knocking Inuyasha against the trunk.  
  
The hanyou hadn't hit the wood very hard, however, as he'd shifted his weight at the last minute and thrown the demon slightly off course.  
  
Inuyasha tightened his hold around the winged demon's neck.  
  
Two more winged youkai abruptly left their hiding places to join the fray.  
  
Maruku loosed arrows at each of the newcomers, attempting to draw their attention away from the battle between their comrade and Inuyasha, and towards those standing on the ground.  
  
Sango sent Hiraikotsu flying at the demon closest to her and Miroku, which she idly noted must be of a different clan-- its wings were a mix of several light shades of brown. The youkai easily ducked out of the way of the boomerang's path, grinning smugly down at the demon exterminator. It dove for Sango, claws extended, but had mistakenly forgotten about her weapon's return trip. The bone boomerang slammed into the youkai's back, knocking it to the ground unconscious.  
  
The other unengaged attacker, slightly smaller than the others, was nimbly dodging the arrows Maruku shot its way. The windwalker was running out of missiles, however.  
  
Inuyasha shifted his weight forward when the demon he was currently using as a ride charged another tree. The youkai's flight path began to angle downwards as it became slightly top-heavy.  
  
Inuyasha shifted again, the air whipping his hair back as they went diving towards the ground.  
  
Just before smacking into the dirt, he released his hold on the demon's neck and shoved himself away. The youkai had no time to react as it smashed headfirst into the base of the tree.  
  
Inuyasha rolled to a stop and leaped to his feet, ready to fend off any new attacks.  
  
Three new assailants were heading straight for him from the trees above.  
  
"Now, this is more like it," the hanyou grinned, baring his fangs.  
  
  
  
Kagome was glad she couldn't tell if anyone was around to see her crawling across the floor in her search for something she could use as a guide around the room. She'd been smart enough to start off looking behind her, instead of before her, so that she didn't find the doorway and accidentally leave. She'd surely be lost if that ever happened. Not to mention Ataru's guards would catch her, and she'd never help Morihiko escape.  
  
She found a wooden wall fairly quickly, and pushed to her feet, wondering which way she should go from there. Frowning, she turned around to face what she assumed was the way she'd come. From where she'd been before, the ringing sound of the chains being hit by Eisuke had come from her right. That was probably the best place to start.  
  
Running one hand carefully along the wall, and keeping the other out in front, she took several tentative steps forward, hoping there was nothing in the room that she could possibly trip over.  
  
What was she going to do when she found the unconscious windwalker? Unless he was in his bird form, which she doubted, he would certainly be too big for her to carry out alone. She could try to drag him out, she supposed, but that would take way too long, and she would have to somehow guide them around, as well. To do that, she needed at least one hand free.  
  
Kagome sighed. It was going to be nearly impossible for her to get Morihiko out on her own. Hopefully, one of the others would show up soon, and she wouldn't have to worry.  
  
Forcing herself to focus on finding the winged demon before worrying about what would come afterwards, she concentrated on where she was placing her feet. Her steps became bolder, though she still shuffled her feet along the dirt floor. Hopefully she'd reach another wall soon, and--  
  
"Definitely a wall," she muttered, wincing at the loud thump her shoe made when it connected with the wooden corner in front of her.   
  
She held her breath, listening hard for any sign that someone had been alerted by the noise.   
  
When all remained quiet, she allowed herself to relax slightly. Youkai could move more quietly than humans, but surely any sort of disturbance from a prisoner's chamber would bring them running.  
  
Squaring her shoulders, Kagome turned with the new wall and began to follow it the same way she had done before.  
  
Where were the others? She hoped they were all right.   
  
Shiori had told her the others would fight Ataru, while she helped Morihiko escape. That meant that the earlier attackers weren't really intent on fighting, didn't it?  
  
A small smile tilted her lips. Inuyasha would've been ready to chase after whoever had taken her once he realized she was missing. Would the others be able to stop him? Surely they could talk, or at least knock, some idea of caution into him before he got too far. He wasn't as reckless as he used to be, and she was thankful for that small favor.  
  
The others would be worried, as well, but Sango and Miroku at least had the common sense to assess the situation before rushing headlong into it. And from what she'd witnessed, Maruku was the same. He'd been the one to save Shippo and herself when they'd found the puppet Naraku had used to lay a trap for them.  
  
Kagome unconsciously worried at her lower lip with her teeth. Could Ataru have laid some sort of trap?   
  
Could she be part of the bait now?   
  
Inhaling sharply, she stopped, every muscle stiffening. Was it Shiori's way of trying to aid Ataru once more? By giving him another bargaining tool to use?  
  
The winged demon had been so insistent that Kagome get Morihiko out. Would she be so vehement about getting back at Ataru if it was all an act? But Maruku had said Shiori was very good at the art of deception...  
  
And Shiori had said she had other plans, when asked why she couldn't get the unconscious windwalker out herself. Did that mean...?  
  
A low, weak groan interrupted Kagome's fearful musings.  
  
"Hello?" she called softly, wondering if she'd just imagined the sound.  
  
The rapid beating of her own heart was her only answer.  
  
Hesitantly, she slid one of her feet further out in front of her, searching for anything that might be lying on the floor. When she encountered nothing, she stepped forward, forcing herself to calm down and resume her search for Morihiko.  
  
Had he been the one to make that noise? Was he waking up? Shiori had said they'd stopped whoever drugged him, but it could take hours for him to come around if it was close to the time she'd arrived. From what the winged demon had said, they didn't have hours in which to escape. Probably not even one hour. How was she going to pull this off?  
  
She shuffled forward carefully, ears still straining to pick up any sound outside the ones she herself was making.  
  
The silence was broken by a metallic clatter, similar to the clinking of the rings on Miroku's staff.  
  
Kagome stopped moving and tapped her extended foot along the ground. Her toes bumped something, the clinking sounding once more as a result.  
  
Keeping one hand on the wall for balance, she crouched down and reached out to find the object with her fingers. Just as she suspected, it was a chain, and a somewhat crudely made one at that, if the roughness of the links was any indication.   
  
The other winged demon had cut the chains, so this could be an end attached to Morihiko, or one attached to nothing. She needed to find out before she yanked on it, and lost what looked like the most promising way to find the unconscious windwalker.  
  
Leaving the chain on the floor, she turned and started forward. The position was rather uncomfortable, as the need for contact with the metal links made crouching necessary. She wobbled along, knowing she'd have to trace her way back if the chain led to nothing.   
  
"This would be so much easier if I could see!" she grumbled, resisting the urge to pound her fists into the ground in frustration. It would certainly be much faster than her blind searching. But she had no other options.  
  
Her fingers finally encountered something other than metal. She jerked her hand back in surprise at the softness, afraid she'd run across some sort of insect resting on the chain. Slowly, she felt down at her side once more for the rough links, pausing and swallowing before sliding her hand forward.  
  
Whatever it was hadn't moved. It stayed put when she brushed it with the tips of her fingers, and again when she tugged slightly with her index and middle fingers.   
  
What was it?   
  
She scooted forward, resting on her knees to relieve the ache in her legs.  
  
It was soft... but a little stiff as well... and little bits of dirt occasionally came away with her fingers.  
  
Further investigation proved it was a lot bigger than she'd first thought. She ran her hand lightly over the top, brushing lightly through... feathers!   
  
She shook her head in slight exasperation. How stupid was she, to not realize what she'd found right away?  
  
Mentally chastising herself, she reached both hands out to follow the line of what she hoped was one of Morihiko's wings.  
  
Besides being dirty, some of the feathers felt as if they were torn or broken. In a couple of patches, she felt merely stubs. So much for hoping the windwalker would not be treated too harshly in his captivity. She shuddered, glad she couldn't see if any of the dirt collecting on her fingers was dried blood, and not just bits of dust from the ground.  
  
Luck seemed to be with her for the moment. As she'd moved ahead, she found the end of the wing, where it connected with the windwalker's back. In her relief, she'd even forgotten the intensified pain in her legs from resuming her crouching gait.   
  
"Well, I've found him. Now what?"  
  
As if in answer to her query, another low moan came from her right, startling her into losing her balance. She fell backwards, catching herself on her hands.   
  
"Now you decide to make noise? After I already found you the hard way?" she muttered, half expecting a similar response. The unconscious demon stayed quiet, however.  
  
Taking a deep breath and letting it out, Kagome remained where she was. She'd finally found Morihiko-- at least she assumed it was Morihiko, since there was nothing she could go by that proved it wasn't.   
  
How on earth was she going to get him out of the room, let alone out of the building they were in?  
  
"You don't have any ideas, do you?"  
  
There was no response.  
  
"Didn't think so." 


	30. That GreenEyed Demon

Look! Surprise, surprise! Well, actually these last two chapters started out as one, and I ended up writing so much, it turned into two! So, here's the second part. And yes, I was deliberately evil in this chapter... but things will be right in the end :)   
  
Side note: I'm done with finals and everything! And graduation is Saturday! Are 1st year grad students considered freshman again?  
  
Thanks to all of you that review... it does keep me wanting to write, even when I haven't got the time. Please be patient with me again-- I'm moving back home from school this weekend after graduation, and have to get all my stuff unpacked.  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 30: That Green-Eyed Demon  
  
Maruku had given up wasting his arrows in favor of chasing the youkai he'd been aiming for. He was faster than the other winged demon, and easily caught hold of its leg before it could fly higher, using his own momentum to swing the attacker to the side. The demon faltered as it was thrown off balance when the windwalker released his hold.   
  
Maruku quickly turned to fly after, forcing his opponent to sweep along the ground to avoid crashing. He was able to grab the demon's ankle once more, deliberately bracing his wings to slow their forward progress. The youkai turned its head and glared, shaking its leg to dislodge the windwalker's hand, but to no avail.  
  
Maruku winced slightly as he noted the fairly youthful features of his opponent. The boy was no older than Marieko. Ataru's promise of power must have drawn him and others of similar age...  
  
The demon stopped and swung around to swipe at Maruku's grip while the older winged youkai was slightly distracted. It grinned and shot forward, grabbing branches off the nearest trees and throwing them back at the windwalker.  
  
Maruku easily dodged the projectiles, grabbing one right from the hand of the demon before it could turn and throw.  
  
The young youkai looked at its hand in surprise, before seeing the windwalker flying right beside it.  
  
"Looking for this?" Maruku asked with a grin. He swung the branch, receiving a satisfying thump as it connected with the demon's shoulder.  
  
The boy caught the other end of the branch and yanked. Maruku let go, sending the youkai backwards by its own force. It righted itself and flew back towards him, swinging the arm holding the branch back in preparation for hitting the windwalker in return.  
  
Maruku didn't give it the time to finish the maneuver, pausing in his own flight as the demon charged. His fist struck the winged youkai's jaw, reversing its forward motion. The branch fell from its loose grip as it lost height. The demon's body tore up dirt and grass as it skidded along the ground, coming to rest some twenty feet away.  
  
When it didn't immediately get up, Maruku half-turned back to the others to see where he might be needed, frowning slightly in regret.  
  
Two more demons had joined the battle, swooping towards Sango.  
  
The demon exterminator stood frozen in place, wide eyes fixed on the faster of the two winged youkai. A malicious grin spread on its lips as it came closer.   
  
Sango's breath caught. She never thought she'd see such an evil look aimed in her direction. She never thought she'd see such an expression coming from him ever... He was a gentle healer, not a fighter...  
  
Golden hair framed a familiar tanned face.  
  
"N-Nik... o-rai?" she whispered.  
  
The winged demon bore down on her as she could do nothing but stare.  
  
"Sango! Move!"  
  
She registered the voice calling her, but couldn't force her limbs to obey.  
  
"Sango!"  
  
"But I thought..." she murmured disbelievingly, shaking her head slightly in denial. He'd been so kind. How could he...?   
  
"Sango! Move, damn it!"   
  
The demon was almost on top of her. Only a few more feet, and it would be within easy striking range.  
  
Seconds later, something barreled into her from the side, knocking her to the ground.  
  
The tangle of purple and black rolled to a stop, dust settling.  
  
Miroku pushed himself up by his arms, but Sango stopped him, clutching his robes and burying her face in the fabric.  
  
"It wasn't him," the demon exterminator whispered.  
  
Miroku couldn't make out what she muttered into his robes. "What?"  
  
She pulled away slightly, taking a deep breath. "It wasn't him."  
  
"Who?" The monk's brows drew together in confusion.   
  
"Nikorai." Sango shook her head, clutching tighter at the purple material in her hands. "I thought it was him, but it wasn't."   
  
She hadn't looked up, and so missed slight pain that flashed in his eyes. "How do you know?" he asked, keeping his voice as neutral as he could.  
  
"This one had green eyes, not blue."  
  
"You could see--"  
  
Miroku dropped the sentence, pushing himself away and raising his staff to block the claws aimed for his back. This wasn't the time to be dwelling on personal matters! They were in the middle of a battle!  
  
Both he and Sango rolled away, in opposite directions, when the Nikorai-look-alike drew back to strike again.  
  
Miroku leaped to his feet, spinning around, only to throw himself back down to the hard earth as the second of the two demons he'd seen earlier, a rather rough-looking female, flew past.  
  
"Hey, you stupid bird! Over here!"  
  
The monk's head flew up at Shippo's yell.   
  
The female youkai's eyes narrowed as she noticed the kitsune.  
  
Shippo set his feet, one hand behind his back. When the demon drew closer, he threw the rock he'd been hiding as hard as he could. He smirked when his aim proved perfect, striking the demon right between the eyes.  
  
Of course, this didn't really hurt the youkai, but only angered her.  
  
The little fox demon had counted on that very reaction. He stuck his tongue out at the demon, waiting for her to charge.  
  
She didn't disappoint, picking up speed as she flew towards him.  
  
Biting his lip, Shippo shifted from foot to foot, knowing that if his timing was off, his plan wouldn't work.  
  
'3... 2... 1... Go!' he thought, diving to the side and covering his head.  
  
He waited for a second before looking up, peeking through his fingers. "Good job, Kirara!" he cried, jumping up and rushing towards where the transformed fire cat sat on top of the winged youkai.  
  
The demon groaned and tried to push the great feline's weight off of her back.  
  
Shippo smacked her over the head with another rock before she could get very far. The demon's head slumped back to the ground with an audible thump, and the spread of dust.  
  
The kitsune turned away, grinning and brushing his hands together in satisfaction.  
  
He squealed and began to run when he realized the blond-haired demon Miroku and Sango had been fighting was now coming straight for him.  
  
"Help!"  
  
"Hiraikotsu!" he heard Sango yell, but didn't dare look behind him.  
  
A loud thud followed the demon exterminator's call.  
  
Shippo ran several more feet before glancing over his shoulder.   
  
The winged demon that had been chasing him was on the ground momentarily, but it hadn't yet been put out of commission. It rose quickly, and launched back into the air before anyone could catch it.  
  
The kitsune grabbed another rock and threw it, hitting the youkai in the back. He bent to grab another missile, hoping to cause enough of a distraction that Sango could get another hit in.  
  
Maruku beat her to the first chance, however, swooping in behind the demon with a large tree branch. He swung, the youkai sailing forward with the force of the blow.  
  
Sango's bone boomerang came at it from the opposite direction, knocking it in the chest.  
  
The demon dazedly fell to the ground, head lolling in the dirt as it blinked in confusion.   
  
Miroku dashed over, studying the face and blank green eyes for a moment before giving the youkai a solid punch to the jaw.  
  
  
  
"Come on, is that the best you can do?" Inuyasha taunted, swiping at the brown-robed demon to his left while ducking to avoid the pale-haired one on his right. The third, whose wings were off-white with gray tips, he'd just thrown into a tree, and it had yet to detangle itself from the branches.  
  
His claws caught in the demon's robe, but the brown fabric was jerked away with a tearing sound as the winged youkai leaped backwards.   
  
Inuyasha spun around, shifting to the side to avoid the brunt of the heavy tree branch aimed for his chest. It hit him in the arm, his quick movements having startled the demon holding it into loosening its grip. The hanyou's claws dug into the wood as he yanked the branch away from his light haired attacker, tossing it carelessly off to the side.  
  
Startled at the faint whoosh of air, Inuyasha glanced up towards a tree further down the path, ducking just in time as an arrow whizzed past his head.  
  
"Back to that game, are we?" he muttered, casting glances at the remaining two demons as he charged towards the one wielding the bow and arrows.   
  
Fangs bared in a menacing grin, Inuyasha kept up his pace, allowing the chasers to gain on him. He couldn't kill them, by Maruku's request, but he could cause some serious damage in other ways.   
  
The winged youkai shooting at him ran out of missiles after it fired off a few more arrows. With a growl, it launched off the tree and flew towards him at full speed.  
  
He could feel the two behind him grasping at his streaming hair, but missing in their attempts. 'This is too easy,' he thought idly as he ran. 'Did that Ataru send his stupidest clan members after us?'  
  
Inuyasha suddenly put on a burst of speed, racing ahead of the pale-haired one and the brown-robed one who were chasing him, on a crash course with the one ahead.   
  
'Just a little bit further...'  
  
"Hiraikotsu!"  
  
Sango's loud cry, along with the boomerang flying towards the youkai, gave Inuyasha the chance he needed.  
  
While the two winged demons behind him were distracted, and flying faster to escape the airborne weapon's path, the hanyou ducked and rolled out of the way.  
  
The three demons crashed headlong into each other, falling to the earth in a heap of dust and floating feathers.  
  
Inuyasha rushed over to inspect his handiwork, quickly knocking two of the demon's heads together again when they began to move.  
  
He blinked slowly, taking several deep breaths.   
  
"Do you think that was it?" he heard Sango ask behind him and turned to face the others.  
  
They all seemed well, if a bit weary from the battle.  
  
"I am not certain, but I do not sense any others in this area," Maruku replied, glancing around.  
  
Inuyasha snorted, inspecting his claws nonchalantly. "The others probably got scared and flew back home."  
  
"I expected there to be more resistance. Something seems out of place."  
  
The others remained silent as their breathing and heart rates slowly returned to normal.  
  
"So that was supposed to be an ambush?" Shippo asked several moments later, climbing up to Miroku's shoulder.  
  
"Some ambush," Inuyasha muttered, folding his arms across his chest.  
  
"There could be others waiting further ahead," Miroku put in, nodding towards the path.  
  
"Indeed. Ataru could merely have sent these as a test."  
  
Inuyasha's widened as he shouted, pointing one clawed finger at the pile of demons he'd recently tricked into taking each other down. "If this is the test, then what the hell were those ones that took Kagome?"  
  
"My conviction that they were not sent by Ataru is stronger now that we have fought these opponents here."  
  
"Then who do you think--"  
  
Miroku quietly, but firmly, cut the hanyou's tirade off. "Inuyasha, we do not have the time to argue now. As you pointed out earlier, we must hurry to find Lady Kagome."  
  
"Keh. Fine."  
  
With a toss of his long hair, the hanyou loped off down the path, leaving the others to follow behind, shaking their heads.  
  
No one noticed a detransformed Kirara sneaking off under the bushes. 


	31. The Element of Surprise

Sorry for the long hiatus from writing! My creativity has been sapped as of late by work and school work, and I hardly turn my computer on. My brother hogs the internet the nights I can get on as well. But I have been working hard in the past few weeks to crank out the next bit of my story! Most of the beginning bit was written over the past couple of weeks, as I finally had an idea of where to go with it. The Kagome stuff seems to come out so much easier, though I do have to think it through quite a bit, to make sure I don't make it sound too easy for her, with her blindness.  
  
Grad school has long since started-- another big reason I've not had much time/motivation to write. Graduation and moving home are way over. Plus, I've been officially a year older since May! How exciting. I'm currently getting beaten up by cardboard boxes, box knives, dinnerware sets, and cast-iron cookware at work. I found a job, though not in the computer field unfortunately, but it's money, for now. Hopefully in the next week or two, where I actually have an interview, I may get a new job!  
  
Anyway, I'm sorry if my characters and storyline are so forgettable that re-reading the entire story is necessary when it takes me longer to update, but I've had other priorities. I'm hoping to be able to update sooner now that things are more settled. I'm sure you all would appreciate a better story, as well, and not something that's just thrown together so that the loose ends are tied up and the saga is finished.  
  
Now, on with the story!  
  
  
  
Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 31: The Element of Surprise  
  
Kagome's scent was getting stronger. Inuyasha unconsciously picked up his pace, wanting only to find her as soon as possible. He had to make sure she was safe before he could concentrate on defeating Ataru.   
  
Only Maruku had some idea of what they were up against, and Inuyasha had learned the hard way that it was unwise to underestimate an opponent. Although giving up on a fight just because it appeared he had no chance of winning had never been one of his strong points.  
  
His nose twitched as it caught another fairly strong trace of the scent that meant 'Kagome.' He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to draw in as much as he could. He didn't smell fresh blood, and was clinging to the hope that thought gave him-- that Kagome was unharmed. He didn't dare let the idea cross his mind that he might not reach her soon enough.  
  
Determinedly, he opened his eyes and redoubled his pace. He would find her, then he'd make her kidnapper pay.  
  
"Inuyasha! Wait up!"  
  
The hanyou's ears flicked back slightly, though he deliberately ignored Shippo's request. The fox child would just have to try and keep up.  
  
"Inu... yasha!"  
  
Miroku sounded slightly winded.   
  
"Inuyasha! Please slow down!"  
  
So did Sango, but neither of the two humans could run as fast as he could. And he wanted to reach Kagome as soon as possible. All he had to do was follow what his nose told him...  
  
And right at that second, something rather foul was blocking the trail of Kagome's scent.  
  
His brow furrowed in confusion and anger as he slowed slightly, glancing first left, then right. What the hell was making that awful--?  
  
"Inu-!"  
  
~Don't you earth-walkers ever care where your feet are going?~  
  
Inuyasha's eyes widened at the closeness of the irritated voice. He whirled around seconds before something barreled into him from the side. He was knocked to the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop on his back.  
  
"What the-- Mmph!" he started to growl, only to be cut off by a strong hand covering his mouth.  
  
~Do be quiet, will you? Unless you want to-- Damn, that hurts!~  
  
The hanyou's assailant quickly jumped away, cradling his newly-bitten hand in the non-injured one and glaring at Inuyasha from a safe distance away.  
  
~This is the thanks I get for keeping you away from traps? Next time I'll just let you get caught in the net!~  
  
Inuyasha jumped to his feet, stepping menacingly towards the newcomer. "What?! Who the hell are--"  
  
"Lord Inuyasha, I suggest you keep your voice down," Maruku murmured angrily from the half dog demon's right side before directing his next words to the light-winged youkai still nursing his sore hand. "If I am not mistaken, just through this last group of trees is our destination."   
  
"As promised, you've arrived with hardly a scratch, but I make no guarantees about what lies ahead," the demon replied, giving a slight mocking bow to match his crooked grin.  
  
"What the hell is this?" Inuyasha snarled, just barely able to restrain himself from yelling at the top of his lungs.  
  
"Who's he?" Shippo's voice piped up in the silence that followed.  
  
Miroku and Sango stood behind Inuyasha and Maruku, still trying to catch their breath and avidly watching the confrontation.   
  
"I, my dear child, am merely a servant of--"  
  
"Cut the theatrics, Raisuke. A mercenary has no master but his own greed."  
  
Raisuke clapped a hand to his chest, over his heart. "You offend me, Maruku! After all I've done for you, you think I have no other motives than adding to my own wealth?"  
  
"In one word? Yes."  
  
The light-winged demon's grin widened. "Money is everything, you know."  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Inuyasha growled, louder this time. "What did he mean by 'we've arrived without a scratch, as promised'?"  
  
"Oh, were you scratched in that tiny fight earlier?" Raisuke asked with fake sympathy. "Would you like me to kiss it, and--"  
  
"Why you--!"  
  
A metallic jangle warned Inuyasha before Miroku's staff was thrust in front of him to stop his forward motion. "Inuyasha! We do not have time for this! I believe Lord Maruku owes us a shortened version of his explanation before we continue our search."  
  
Maruku nodded at the monk in thanks. "My apologies for not mentioning it to you, but Raisuke informed me he would make sure we arrived at Ataru's compound with little trouble from his minions. He staged some sort of unrest among them to keep as many of them as possible occupied until we could arrive here."  
  
"That would explain why so few of them attacked us earlier," Sango commented with a slight puzzled frown. "But why didn't you tell us, Lord Maruku?"  
  
"I felt it wise to keep you on your guard, in case this mercenary did not keep his end of the bargain."  
  
Raisuke pouted in Maruku's direction. "Why would I not keep my promise to you?"  
  
The dark-winged windwalker merely glared in response.  
  
Though Inuyasha's voice was quiet, his tone was fiercely threatening as he growled, "What about Kagome? Was she part of your deal as well?"  
  
Maruku held up a stalling hand. "I assure you, Lord Inuyasha, I was as surprised by Lady Kagome's disappearance as you were. She was not mentioned in our original negotiations. None of you were, merely that I would be traveling with some odd companions."  
  
Raisuke raised an eyebrow as two pairs of glittering eyes were turned on him.  
  
"Surely you agree that allowing one of my party's members to be kidnapped nullifies the deal?" Maruku asked the light-winged youkai.  
  
"Ah, but the specific terms were 'with hardly a scratch until you reach Ataru's hideout.' I know for a fact that she was to remain unharmed until she reached it herself."  
  
"What have you done with Kagome?!"  
  
It was Shippo's turn to yell, startling Inuyasha into aborting his attempt to tackle Raisuke.  
  
"Dear fox child, I have done nothing with her. She has merely arrived here ahead of the rest of you."   
  
Raisuke had no time to duck away as he was suddenly yanked off his feet by the front of his robe, his eyesight full of sharp teeth.   
  
"What the hell have you done with her?" Inuyasha rasped, tightening his grip on the demon's clothing.  
  
Raisuke merely shrugged. "As I said, I did nothing. I had no idea what Shiori--"  
  
"You know the laws, Raisuke. Shiori was an outcast," Maruku's angry voice cut through Inuyasha's warning growl.  
  
"You know I've never been much for the rules, Maruku. Many of those here are outcasts, or will be soon. After all, money talks louder than the laws."  
  
"And apparently Shiori could pay you more than your freedom is worth?"  
  
Raisuke pulled lightly at the collar of his robes, attempting to loosen Inuyasha's hold. "Actually, she didn't pay me a thing. I play for the side who's winning. Ataru's going to soon be on the losing side, or so Shiori promised me. It was a simple matter of wanting to come out on top of the game."  
  
"Where is Lady Kagome now?" Miroku asked, stepping closer to Inuyasha and his captive.  
  
"You humans surely are daft. Did I not say earlier that she's here?" the winged demon muttered, shaking his head. "Shiori brought her here and caused a big ruckus to hide what she was doing. After all, I promised you an uprising, didn't I Maruku? There's nothing like allowing someone else to do your dirty work for you."  
  
Inuyasha lifted Raisuke higher off the ground, ready to throw him into the nearest tree.  
  
"Inuyasha," Miroku murmured, shaking his head. "He is not worth the energy. Save it for whatever fight we may still have left to encounter."  
  
"Keh," the hanyou snorted, abruptly dropping the demon unceremoniously to the ground. He set his jaw and turned to glare at Maruku. "You will explain all of this later. After we find Kagome."  
  
The windwalker nodded in response, watching Raisuke prop himself up on his elbows in the dirt.  
  
"Good luck!" the light-winged youkai grinned. "I look forward to seeing who truly comes out the winner."  
  
Inuyasha managed to get within a foot of the mocking demon before Raisuke leapt to his feet and launched easily into the air. The hanyou bared his teeth and made a quick swipe for the nearest ankle, but was a second too late.  
  
Miroku laid a restraining hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, murmuring, "Ignore him. We must find Lady Kagome. And Lord Morihiko, in case you forgot our original mission."  
  
Inuyasha snorted, yanking his arm away and turning to stride on through the last of the trees.  
  
"Shiori! I can't believe I didn't make the connection earlier!" Sango muttered as she followed Maruku towards the edge of the forest.  
  
"I suspected she was the kidnapper," the winged youkai replied.   
  
Sango continued to shake her head in self reproach. "I should've thought of her sooner. All the clues added up to it being her! Especially the fact that the trail followed along the ground for such a long time. Shiori can't fly!"  
  
"Not unless she would manage to convince Morihiko to heal her. He is the only healer capable of such a highly involved effort, and as he is currently in captivity, I highly doubt he would have the chance."  
  
"True." Sango was silent for a moment. "Lord Maruku, do you think Lord Morihiko could--"  
  
"Later, Lady Sango. We will worry about such things after we find both Lady Kagome and my brother, and get them out of here safely."  
  
The demon exterminator nodded as she moved alongside the windwalker beneath the last of the trees.  
  
Inuyasha's ears perked up at the few sounds that reached him from inside the wooden fence blocking his view of whatever lay inside the clearing before them. Yelling, rustling, something slamming to the ground. "Sounds like a fight," he told the others, lifting his nose to catch the scents wafting towards him.  
  
"Indeed," Maruku agreed. "Raisuke told us he, no, Shiori, caused some sort of uprising among Ataru's followers. It must be quieting down."  
  
"Then we should stir it up again," Inuyasha growled, not bothering to wait for any of the others, or for any possible plan of attack, as he ran towards the fence.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Sango yelled in surprise, before following the others, who had set off after the hanyou.  
  
"At least we have the element of surprise on our side," Miroku called over his shoulder.  
  
"But how are we all going to-- Nevermind." The youkai exterminator's unfinished question was easily answered as Inuyasha took one swipe at the wooden fence, making a hole large enough that each of them could duck under what was left of the structure.  
  
  
  
Kagome drummed her fingers on the dirt floor. She knew not more than five minutes had passed while she remained seated, though it felt like hours since Shiori had left her to rescue Morihiko on her own. She was still no closer to finding a way to escape with the windwalker, who'd yet to give further indication that he was waking.   
  
Twice, her ears had caught sounds of movement outside the room. She had noted earlier that she could barely hear the sounds of fighting outside, especially when straining to listen over her own heartbeat. Any sounds she made were most likely muffled by the noise of the fray, but anyone close to her hiding place would hear her. She feared being discovered by Ataru's guards, and failing to help her friends in their mission to defeat him and rescue Lady Tamaeri's mate. When no one approached, she relaxed slightly, and thought maybe she'd imagined the noise in the absence of any sound other than the ones she, and occasionally the unconscious windwalker in the room with her, was making.   
  
Kagome sighed. It appeared her only option was attempting to carry Morihiko out. It would be very difficult, but she had no other choice.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she shifted to her knees and felt on the floor in front of her. The winged youkai hadn't moved-- not that she really expected him to.   
  
She edged her fingers along the wing until she encountered the tattered cloth covering his back. Since she'd been feeling along the bottom of the feathers, his head lay in the opposite direction. It would take too much time to trace back around the wing she'd encountered, and possibly the other if they happened to be lying separately. She dared not climb over his wings, for fear that she'd damage them irreparably by stepping in the wrong place, or even tripping and falling. The same could be said for attempting to step over his body, but that would be the safest of her choices, other than walking all the way around him. If she was careful, she could step over him with little trouble, or so she hoped.   
  
Kagome pushed herself up slowly, keeping one hand on the windwalker's side. Once she was on her feet, though bent awkwardly at the waist, she searched for the youkai's arms, so she wouldn't step on them, or his hands.   
  
Upon finding her path clear, she carefully braced herself with both hands. She eased one foot over the windwalker's body, pausing for a moment to steady her balance before continuing with the other foot.  
  
'Well, that was the easy part,' she thought wryly. She didn't know how she was going to avoid damaging his wings by dragging them along the floor, but perhaps it would help at least some if she grabbed hold of him under the arms and held his head and part of the feathered appendages off the ground.  
  
Returning to her earlier crouching position, Kagome guided herself around Morihiko's arms and head. She avoided touching his face, afraid of sticking her fingers someplace they didn't belong.   
  
The windwalker's long hair was greasy and full of dirt. Maybe once they returned him to his village, she could loan him some of her shampoo to help him get it clean, she mused idly.   
  
She knelt on the floor behind his head, biting her lip as she debated the easiest way to hold onto him. She couldn't get a good grip with him on his side. Turning him over into his back would damage his wings. She'd have to roll him onto his stomach, and hope she could manage not to drag his hands along the ground, or step on them.  
  
Kagome knelt for a moment and took a deep breath, gathering her strength. She'd have to carry him as quickly as she could, and make as few stops as possible. It wouldn't be easy, but she hoped, for both their sakes, she'd make it.  
  
"Here goes nothing," she murmured, placing her hands on the windwalker's shoulders.  
  
It wasn't until she was attempting to pull him up from the floor that she realized how heavy he was, and what an embarrassing situation she was going to be in if he woke up.  
  
Face flaming, she bit her lip. Maybe she should carry him on his back after all. She started to ease him back to the floor before it occurred to her that maybe she could steady him over her shoulder. It would be much less embarrassing than having his face in her chest, and would be easier to move, hopefully, by using the wall on one side to guide herself with. She could also lean on it to rest when necessary, without putting the windwalker down. Having to do so would only take more time, and make her more tired in the end.  
  
Now all she had to do was get Morihiko up onto her shoulder.   
  
The task was easier said than done. By the time she managed to get him into as best a position as she could manage, her arm wrapped around his upper chest and his own draped across her shoulders, she was ready to put him back down. She knew she wasn't far from the wall, but she wasn't close enough to merely lean against it.  
  
If she remembered correctly, she was now facing away from the door, and towards the first wall she'd encountered. If she moved left, she'd find the wall the windwalker had been chained to, and if she moved back, she'd either find the door, or at least the wall the door was on, hopefully.  
  
Or, she ruefully thought a second later, if she turned around, she could move to the right, and not have to push the windwalker's legs along.  
  
Something tickled the backs of her legs as she shifted him on her shoulder. Awkwardly, she swatted one hand behind her, encountering nothing but feathers. At least she wouldn't be dragging his wings along the floor, she thought wryly.  
  
Kagome took a deep breath, resettling her grip on the unconscious demon. She took a small step forward, turning her body as she did so. Morihiko's feet dragged, nothing but dead weight. If she moved a little more quickly, she might be able to turn around and make it to the wall before she needed to rest.  
  
Her movements were more confident as she continued to reorient herself. It took only another three steps to finish turning herself around, and seven to reach the wall. She mentally apologized to the windwalker for any damage she might be causing his feet and ankles as she pulled his weight along.   
  
Once she reached the wooden wall, she turned to lean her back, and the winged demon's, against it. "So far, so good," she murmured to the otherwise unoccupied room. She dared take no more than a moment to rest, and so moved on when she felt she could handle Morihiko's weight once again without the wall's help. She turned from the wall, and stepped forward.  
  
'One... two... three...' she silently counted. Each step grew a bit slower as she tested the space in front of her for any obstacles.   
  
Upon reaching the number eight, her foot found something hard and unmovable. Slowly, she eased the hand that held the windwalker's arm over her shoulder forward. The object reached high enough that her fingers encountered it as well. Finally, the other wall! She was getting somewhere, and on her way to rescuing Morihiko from his prison. Although it was awfully tiring work, and going to take her forever...  
  
With a sigh, she turned to follow the new wall. Belatedly, she realized she should've counted the steps she'd taken earlier, when she'd begun her search for Morihiko. If she had, she would've known about how many it would take her to reach the exit now. 'No use dwelling on that now.'   
  
She shuffled forward carefully, testing the wood beside her as she continued on, hoping the doorway would not be very far ahead.  
  
Luck was on her side, it seemed. She'd taken only a handful of steps before her foot found empty space to her right.  
  
Now was the time to rest again, before venturing outside of the chamber. She would need to move faster, and hope that no one discovered her wandering the hallways.   
  
What were the directions Shiori had given her, again? Two rights and two lefts? Two rights and a left? Two lefts and a right? Frowning, Kagome tried to remember what the demon had told her. She needed to make up her mind quickly. 'Wait, was it two lefts and--'  
  
"Mew?"  
  
Kagome squeaked and jumped at the noise that interrupted her musings. She nearly dropped the winged demon hanging off her shoulder as she relaxed her grip. As it was, he fell forward and she strained to pull him back up.  
  
"Mew?" the sound came again, this time slightly closer.  
  
Heart racing, Kagome stayed still, hoping whatever it was would leave her alone.  
  
Something soft brushed her legs, went away, then returned to repeat the action.  
  
It felt almost like Buyo rubbing against her, though there was no way it was her cat.  
  
Wait... cat? And the sound it made... it was familiar as well. Not quite a meow, but...  
  
"Kirara?" she called uncertainly, as the pieces fit together in her mind.  
  
"Mew!" the firecat responded, rubbing against Kagome's legs once more.  
  
The girl sighed in relief, her head falling back against the wall with a soft thump.  
  
Well, great, she thought a moment later. Kirara was here, but nobody else was. How was she...   
  
"Agh! No!" Of course, the unconscious winged demon chose that moment to shift his own weight, throwing both of them off balance. Kagome tottered slightly forward as she was dragged nearly to the floor. "Why is it that he seems to be getting heavier?" she muttered, straining to keep on her knees. If she had to put Morihiko down now, she wasn't sure she could pick him back up.  
  
Something large and soft moved into place in front of her, supporting both her and the windwalker. Kagome sighed in relief as she realized Kirara had transformed. She slipped out from under Morihiko's arm, still keeping her own arm around his waist to stop him from sliding to the ground.  
  
The girl rolled her shoulders, trying to ease the ache in her back. After a moment, she'd have to pick him back up, but she was going to enjoy the break while she could. Kirara would be able to defend them if any enemies found them. And if they needed to get away quickly, they might be able to climb onto her back fast enough. If not...  
  
'I can't think that way!' Kagome scolded herself. She needed to stay positive, and think clearly about how to get them out of... wherever they were. 'Just a few more seconds, then I'll--'  
  
~How is it... that the priestess able to purify the Shikon no Tama... cannot purify herself?~ 


	32. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Arg! I'm surprised no one mentioned it, but the document parser seems to be eating some of the special characters I used-- to change scenes, and to show telepathic speech! So, here's the chapter for the third time, with "-"'s used to show telepathic speech. I'm surprised no one commented on it being confusing to read. Hopefully this helps! Sorry I didn't notice it before.

Thanks to Pyrinsomniac for pointing out a minor inconsistency... here's the chapter, fixed!  
  
Again, real life intrudes on my writing. It's been, what, about 7 months? My muse continues to desert me for whatever reason-- probably stress. I can't sit and get it to flow as well as I could when I started writing. I do have little bits of the rest of the story written, which I am continuing to work from. Please continue to be patient with me. I really appreciate the reviews that come in every once in a while, reminding me that there are still people out there waiting to find out what happens next!  
  
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Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 32: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back  
  
"What is going on here?"  
  
Only half a dozen or so of the fifty winged demons brawling in front of the large wooden walls glanced up from their fighting in response to the angry voice that called to them.  
  
Half a dozen or so winged demons were sent sprawling to the ground by hefty fists aimed for their jaws.  
  
"I said, WHAT is going on here?"  
  
Those left standing clutched their heads in pain as the question was underscored by a mental yell.  
  
Before any of them could answer, part of the southern wall was torn away, a flash of red and silver landing in the midst of the former combatants.  
  
Inuyasha slid to a halt, in one smooth motion drawing Tetsusaiga and brandishing it menacingly before him. Eyes narrowed, he surveyed his surroundings. Winged youkai stared at him from all directions. Some groaned from the ground where they had fallen. Many sported bruises and cuts, though not all of the wounds were visible under the grime that seemed to cover most of the demons.  
  
Kagome's scent was faint under the stench of sweat, blood, and filth that filled the air.  
  
"What's this?"  
  
The unfamiliar gravelly voice drew Inuyasha's gaze to the center of the compound. His gaze darted up and down, left and right, as he attempted to pinpoint who it was that had spoken.  
  
Although it had looked, from further off, as if the large tree behind the crude wooden structure standing before him was growing on the other side of the clearing, it actually housed a smaller hut, similar to those in the windwalker village, high up in the branches.  
  
"So, the hanyou managed to make it past my army?"  
  
Inuyasha glimpsed a faint red gleam among the leaves.  
  
"Keh, what army?" the half-dog demon snorted, watching for any sign of movement up above. "You call this bunch of wimps an army?"  
  
Several of the winged demons nearby bared their teeth and narrowed their eyes.  
  
"You mock me, hanyou? You're sorely outnumbered, even with the humans you travel with. And my cousin there knows he is no match for me."  
  
"Hah. Then why are you hiding up there?"  
  
There was a slight rustling above, though it may have been nothing but the breeze blowing through the leaves. "Hiding? I am merely enjoying the shade."  
  
"What a chicken." Inuyasha wouldn't have heard Shippo's low mutter to Miroku if his hearing hadn't been so keyed for any sign of Kagome. A slight smirk quirked his lips as he waited to see if the other demons had heard as well.  
  
A few of the winged demon's gazes shifted further behind him, indicating they had. But the red-eyed youkai in the tree remained silent.  
  
Inuyasha grew more impatient as the quiet stretched. He needed to find Kagome, not stand here chatting with the coward hiding among the branches.  
  
"What say you, hanyou. Put away your sword and fight like a real youkai. We will have us a little test of strength. If you can defeat each of my strongest followers, I will let you and your party live to see tomorrow."  
  
"Keh. What makes you think I need this sword to win?" Inuyasha called back, as usual unable to resist the challenge.  
  
"So you agree then?"  
  
"First tell me what you've done with Kagome!"  
  
"I know nothing of this 'Kagome' you speak of. Perhaps you should take better care of things that are important to you. You never know, when they become lost, if you will ever see them again."  
  
The demon's chuckling grated further on Inuyasha's already flaring temper. "If you can't tell me where she is, then there's no reason for me to let you live!" he growled, running towards the tree as he tensed for the flying leap that would take him straight into the higher branches.  
  
As soon as he was off the ground, several winged youkai blocked his path.  
  
"I suppose I should take that answer as a 'no', then, hanyou?" the voice mocked. "Too bad, I was looking forward to a little competition. But I suppose now I have no reason to let any of you live, whether you win or lose."  
  
"Damn it," Inuyasha muttered, swiping at the nearest demons as his momentum continued to carry him upwards. Of course, his claws missed their targets, which only frustrated him further. Though he knew his opponents could easily dodge the swing of his sword, he brandished Tetsusaiga in front of him, hoping to clear his way to the one in the tree.  
  
The demons merely moved out of range, not completely to one side or the other.  
  
Inuyasha knew it had been a futile move, but he was growing more impatient by the second. This wasn't getting him any closer to finding Kagome! He didn't need another fight that could allow her captor to take her elsewhere while he was otherwise occupied.  
  
As if the speaker knew his thoughts, the demon hiding in the tree's voice once again carried through the air to his ears. "What's the matter, hanyou? I thought you could fight without that sword of yours? In fact, I think it hardly fair that you have a blade while the others have no weapon. You should let it go."  
  
Pain shot through Inuyasha's arm, making him wince and clench his teeth. Nothing had touched him, yet it felt like many claws were digging deep into his skin. What on earth had happened?  
  
In his distraction, he missed the youkai coming swiftly from behind. The demon slammed into him, knocking him in an arc down toward the earth.  
  
He hit the dirt with a heavy thud.  
  
"Inuyasha!" he heard Shippo call as he struggled for a few seconds to catch his breath. Almost too late, he noticed the three demons diving straight towards him. He quickly rolled to the side, bringing Tetsusaiga up to further block the blow from one of his opponents.  
  
He slashed at the face of the next youkai, trying to gain some space and the chance to get to his feet.  
  
"Hiraikotsu!" The telltale whooshing sound precluded the bone boomerang's flying mere inches from his face, driving the attacking demons up into the air. He wasted no time in jumping to his feet and backing away, risking a glance behind him to see where Miroku and Sango were.  
  
Several other demons were heading for the two humans, seemingly having decided that Hiraikotsu's flight was an open declaration of war.  
  
Inuyasha turned back towards his own opponents, waiting for them to land.  
  
"Tsk, tsk, hanyou. Not only do you need the sword, but you need mere humans to fight your battles for you?"  
  
Unfortunately for Inuyasha, the demon still hiding among the branches above seemed to know all the right, or wrong, buttons to push. "At least I'm not afraid to come down here and fight!" the hanyou called back, raising Tetsusaiga and charging the biggest of the three winged youkai who had attacked him.  
  
Again the voiced called down, just as Inuyasha was once again swinging fruitlessly at his opponent. "Ah, but who says I'm afraid, hanyou? I'm merely saving the best for last!"  
  
The arrogant cackling that followed had Inuyasha wanting to strangle the speaker. He settled for raking his claws down the side of the winged demon he was fighting, gaining a slight sense of satisfaction at finally managing to get in a good strike.  
  
The youkai landed hard on the ground and stayed there, clutching the wounds in pain. With a slight grin, Inuyasha eyed his next targets and flexed his claws. He took the time to put Tetsusaiga back in its sheath while the other two of his three foes came at him from different directions.  
  
At the loss of their friend, they were less confident, and more reckless. Their blows were easier to dodge and Inuyasha managed to put in a few good swipes of his own. One attacker was quickly on the ground, knocked to the dirt and unconscious by a well-placed kick. The other was dispatched shortly after when sharp claws caught the demon square in the face.  
  
Inuyasha glanced around as no new youkai seemed to be bent on taking him down. A few of them were instead heading towards, or already engaged in battle with, his two human companions.  
  
Sango appeared to be holding her own with Hiraikotsu, but Miroku was having a harder time dealing with his airborne attackers. The monk was charging one demon that had temporarily landed, while another came at him from behind. Just in time, he swung his staff, knocking both youkai to the ground, though they jumped to their feet seconds later and came at him again.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Sango called over the sounds of battle as she noticed his lack of opposition. "Go find her! We'll hold them off!"  
  
The hanyou hated to leave the two humans without his help. They could fight the demons off for a while, but would tire long before he would.  
  
But he needed to find Kagome, and here was a chance...  
  
Kagome's scent was so strong, he knew that she was there somewhere, hidden. It reassured him greatly that he still smelled none of her blood, but that did not mean she was not harmed.  
  
"Go, Inuyasha!" the youkai exterminator called again, flinging Hiraikotsu at several demons intent on attacking Miroku.  
  
The hanyou turned away, the sound of wind moving with the beat of wings alerting him to trouble nearby. He faced his newest opponents with determination in his eyes. He was not going to be caught wasting precious moments with any other youkai.  
  
Inuyasha grabbed one demon's leg, swinging it around, and into the other winged demon who had approached, so that they both went flying in the opposite direction.  
  
Any further attackers were delayed as they dodged their airborne companions.  
  
Inuyasha took a moment to scent the air, then charged towards the wooden structure he'd noticed upon tearing through the fence surrounding the compound. Any demon that got in his way was tossed aside as he made a beeline for the opening that served as an entrance. Kagome was in there somewhere; he was sure of it.  
  
One persistant winged youkai, bigger, and tougher-looking than all the rest, continued to attempt to block his path.  
  
He swiped at the demon's tunic, missed, and turned around to follow its flight path. He made another grab for the cloth, this time catching it in his claws. The material easily ripped, and again was out of his reach.  
  
The youkai came at him several times before he discovered a pattern to its defensive maneuvers. He grinned slightly, swiped with his claws, and jumped straight into the youkai's flight path as it dodged away. He lept high enough over the demon's head to catch great handfuls of feathers, and used his attacker's own momentum to somersault and fling it towards the hard earth.  
  
'The bigger they are, the harder they fall,' he thought smugly as he landed near the doorway, glancing behind him to inspect his handiwork.  
  
"Oh, no, hanyou. You're not going anywhere."  
  
Inuyasha swung away from the demon he'd just knocked to the ground, amber eyes widening for a second before narrowing in anger.  
  
"Shiori," he growled, teeth bared menacingly. "What have you done with Kagome?"  
  
The dark-winged youkai that blocked his path into the wooden structure grinned smugly. "Wouldn't you like to know?"  
  
Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga and brandished it before him, causing Shiori to jump back a step. "I said, what the hell have you done with Kagome?"  
  
"You'll find out, all in good time. But for now, you stay here."  
  
He took a step forward, the tip of his sword gaining ground on Shiori's throat. "Get out of my way!"  
  
"Temper, temper, hanyou," she mocked, bravely standing her ground.  
  
"Damn it, move!" he yelled, whipping the sword around and charging.  
  
Shiori easily danced to the side, drawing his gaze away from the doorway, where three other demons moved in to block his path.  
  
Inuyasha glanced back, ready to run for the opening, and cursed loudly. He turned back to Shiori, who stood a mere few feet away, though this time she was accompanied by the same male windwalker he'd just managed to get out of his way. Only he'd acquired a rather crudely made sword, more just a sharp, thin piece of metal than an actual crafted blade, somewhere during the past few moments.  
  
"All in good time," Shiori murmured, arms folded across her chest. "For now, your opponent is Ookii."  
  
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The faint, strained mind-voice initially surprised Kagome more than the words themselves. She sat still, brows furrowing. Had she actually heard someone speaking to her? Or was she imagining it, in the absence of other voices? Was it Maruku again? It didn't quite sound like him, and she hadn't heard from him in quite some time...  
  
-Maruku?- she tentatively questioned, knowing it would be pointless to speak aloud if it was the windwalker, as he would not be near enough to hear her.  
  
-You have... met my brother, then, Priestess?-  
  
Brother? It definitely was not Maruku's voice. But if it wasn't Maruku, then... "M-Morihiko?" Kagome squeaked as realization dawned, her voice sounding extremely loud in the quiet. She fell backwards, catching herself on her arms and vaguely registering a foreign grunt and a thump as the winged demon she'd been helping to support slid from his upright position.  
  
-Yes, I am Morihiko.... and you, Priestess, are in need of your sight.-  
  
Kagome wasn't quite sure how to respond to such a blunt statement. "Um, yes, I--"  
  
-Tell me, what is your name?-  
  
"K-Kagome," she stammered, thrown off by the interruption.  
  
-And why are you here, Lady Kagome? This is not a matter which concerns humans.-  
  
"I-- We--"  
  
-There are more of you here? How did you come to be here? Has Ataru committed further crimes by breaking yet another law?-  
  
Kagome backed away slightly at his increasingly hostile tone. "N-No," she croaked out, clearing her throat. "It wasn't Ataru that brought us here, it was--"  
  
-Someone else has made contact with humans? The laws of our kind forbid it.-  
  
"Then, right now--" Kagome started before gasping and breaking off her trail of thought. It wasn't Ataru, she thought, her mind racing, it was Lady Tamaeri, Morihiko's mate! If he was this angry at the possibility of a proven criminal ignoring the laws, how would he feel about her doing such a thing? And to top it all off, he was currently breaking the same rule himself!  
  
-Forgive me, Priestess, but if it were not for the fact that I am trapped here, defenseless, without your aid, I would never consent to remain in your presence. Humans are known for-- -  
  
"Hey! Isn't that a little harsh?" Kagome suddenly yelled, sitting up on her knees and slamming her hands into the bare ground beneath her. "I don't want to be here any more than you do, but we were asked to come and rescue you! The least you could do is be grateful!"  
  
The windwalker emmitted a snort that reminded her of Inuyasha. -I will never be thankful for help from any human.-  
  
"Arg!" Kagome growled, pounding her fists into the dirt once more in frustration. Lady Tamaeri hadn't said her mate was such a stubborn... stubborn male! "We don't have time for this. We either get you out of here, or we stay until one of them finds us! Which is it? We've been sent to do a job, and right now, my friends are out there, somewhere, trying to get here to rescue us both. If you don't like the fact that you have to put up with a human, then you can just... deal with it!"  
  
Silence followed her outburst. It stretched for several strained minutes, her nerves becoming more on edge with each second that passed.  
  
She was afraid the quiet meant he refused to go with her. She was even more afraid that it meant someone had found them and had managed to sneak in and knock him out while she'd been raging.  
  
"Um, Lord Morihiko?" she began tentatively, and was about to go on when she heard his grudging reply.  
  
-I will go with you, for now.-  
  
"Good," Kagome murmured in response. She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. She needed to be able to think clearly, not let her frustration get the better of her, if she were going to get them both out safely.  
  
She'd managed to lift the winged demon and drag him along before he'd awakened. With him conscious, and making some effort to move himself, getting him out of the building would be much easier.  
  
"Now," Kagome began determinedly, "we need to get you on Kirara's back." She leaned up, feeling along the ground with fingers spread. "I don't know what kind of drugs can affect you demons, but you'll probably need--"  
  
-I do not need the help of a human to pick myself off the ground, Priestess,- Morihiko interrupted, resentment clear in his mental voice.  
  
The tone reminded Kagome of Inuyasha and his usual tough act, and she responded in kind-- sitting back on her knees and folding her arms across her chest, simply waiting for him to acknowledge the fact that, at the moment, he wasn't at his full strength.  
  
Kagome felt the slight air current as Kirara moved away from her and towards the stubborn windwalker. Some shuffling and scuffling followed in the quiet, as Morihiko seemingly attempted to pull himself off of the ground. He gave a couple of small groans of pain as he used muscles still weakened by whatever drug he'd been given.  
  
A few moments passed before she heard a soft thud, and then the winged demon coughing from the dust kicked up from the floor.  
  
-Perhaps this once... I will accept the aid of a human...-  
  
Without a word, Kagome again searched along the ground, knowing he wasn't far from her. 'He's a little more gracious than Inuyasha, at least,' she thought with a small smile. 'Now if we can just get out of here without any other problems...'


	33. Smokescreen

Finally, I know! Another update from me! But this one has been much, much faster than the past couple chapters. I hope this one is as enjoyable as the others have been. I just need more hours in the day, to actually get the writing done!  
  
So, here's to hoping I get inspired for the next chapter like I did this one, and that I can get it out as quickly, if not much faster! I really, really do appreciate the reviews! Without the knowledge that other people are still reading, I wouldn't be so pushed to get the story finished, or to write anything else. So thanks again for leaving them, and I hope you all will continue to do so!  
  
I'm also working on a little post-2nd-movie fic, so watch out for it-- It's turning out to be much longer than I originally intended for a small one-shot!  
  
So, on to the story!  
  
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Sight Unseen  
  
Chapter 33: Smokescreen  
  
It was amazing, what Inuyasha noticed when he really put his mind to defeating a particular enemy. His concentration in past battles had brought him the smells and changes in airflow that allowed him to utilize the kaze no kizu and the bakryuuha each for the first time. Once he figured one of Tetsusaiga's special attacks out, repeating the action was fairly easy-- he just had to wait for the right moment.  
  
Of course, the ability to be patient and wait wasn't one he normally possessed, but on rare occasions it made itself known, and he was able to find the weakness in his enemy, or, at the very least, observe his opponent's moves with a slightly clearer head.  
  
He'd managed to disarm Ookii fairly easily, and the winged demon had retreated. However, another of the windwalkers blocking his way towards the wooden structure, where he was certain Kagome was hidden, took his opponent's place.  
  
Once again, Inuyasha knocked the rudimentary blade out of the youkai's grip, the demon fell back, and another took his place.  
  
Two other dark-winged demons faced off with him, and lost, before he was back to fighting Ookii for a second time.  
  
He was on to the third demon yet again before he finally noticed the pattern.  
  
None of the winged youkai were truly attacking--they thrust the false swords at him as if they really didn't know how to use them. He could have used only his claws and still disarmed his opponents with little effort.  
  
And none of them used their wings as a means of escape, or to make the fight more balanced in their favor.  
  
Inuyasha attempted to charge one of the demons once he'd knocked the blade from its grip, hoping to break the cycle, but the next in line blocked his path.  
  
He growled in frustration, ignoring his opponent's weapon in favor of snagging the demon's clothing in his hand and flinging it bodily into the other three.  
  
Yet the winged youkai kept coming, one after the other, as if their only purpose in life was to keep him --  
  
Busy. They were merely keeping him occupied, to prevent him from gaining access to wherever Kagome was being detained.  
  
And he'd been stupid enough to allow it to continue this long, when he still didn't know if she was safe. But not any more.  
  
This time, when the next winged demon in line came at him, he meant business. With a snarl, he knocked the primitive sword from his enemy's hand, grabbed the front of the youkai's tunic, and threw it towards the large tree, with much more force than he'd used before.  
  
A slight smirk crossed his lips at the loud thud that followed, but he didn't stop to examine his handiwork. Instead, he quickly put Tetsusaiga back in its sheath and charged his next opponent.  
  
The youkai fared no better than its friend had. Inuyasha launched it through the nearest part of the fence that surrounded the compound.  
  
Ookii and the last of the four, which happened to be the first demon he'd thrown, had watched their companions fall, and decided to attack him at the same time.  
  
He cracked his knuckles and waited as they ran towards him, ducking just as their fists flew out.  
  
The blows weren't hard enough to knock the other to the ground, but the short time they needed to recover gave him the chance to finish the job.  
  
With his would-be-attackers indisposed, Inuyasha took the opportunity to make a run for the wooden structure, wanting to find Kagome before anything else came his way.  
  
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All the while the hanyou was fighting off his would-be swordsmen, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo were dealing with problems of their own.  
  
A dozen or so demons had formed a ring around the two humans and the young kitsune who clung to Miroku's shoulder. The demons kept the trio contained, and obstructed any clear view they might have of Inuyasha or Maruku.  
  
Without Kirara, it was harder to fend off the attacks of air-borne demons-- their opponents weren't so courteous as to stay on the ground as Inuyasha's had done. Miroku couldn't use the air void to just suck them all up-- it would've been a rather quick end to the situation, but Maruku had asked them before not to kill the youkai. Inuyasha had been past the point of worrying how badly he hurt his attackers, but Miroku and Sango were a bit more conscientious, as they were still on a mission from Lady Tamaeri.  
  
Sango managed to block many of the blows with Hiraikotsu, but with the lack of targets she could definitely take out with the boomerang, and her weapon's necessity as a shield, she didn't dare to throw it. She did, however, manage to whack a few of the demons with the hard edge before they leapt back out of range.  
  
Miroku was doing the same with his staff, though the thin metal rod wasn't enough to do much damage to any of his opponents. Most merely grinned at him and moved closer to attack once more.  
  
Shippo had even cast his fox-fire spell once, to force one of the winged demons away from the monk and himself. One youkai had come at Miroku from the left. Another had come from the right, just after he'd turned to block the first. But Shippo saw the new enemy and quickly turned on the monk's shoulder. Without worrying about retaliation, he let fly a "kitsune-bi!" and flung the bright blue flames right into the path of the second demon.  
  
"Good shot, Shippo!" the kitsune heard Sango call as he watched the youkai scramble away holding its hands in front of its face.  
  
As he was admiring his handiwork, a smirk just beginning to show, he was nearly jolted from Miroku's shoulder when the monk ducked low to avoid swinging claws. The sharp nails came much to close for comfort for the kitsune's peace of mind, and he decided that maybe he wasn't so excited about fighting after all.  
  
Sango swung Hiraikotsu in a wide circle above her head, staving off three winged youkai, at least temporarily. She then held the boomerang before her as another demon dove in. Its claws scraped uselessly against the bone weapon, and it flew a few feet away.  
  
The next attacker came at her from the side. It was the only female in the group surrounding her and Miroku, although it was almost hard to tell which was the case due to the size of the youkai. Sango turned towards her opponent, eyes narrowed as she waited for just the right moment. She feinted to the right, then jumped back to the left, swinging Hiraikotsu up and around with her left hand to slam it down on the demon's head.  
  
Sango quickly lifted the boomerang up and swung the center straight for the back of a light-winged youkai that was flying past her, towards Miroku. The blow sent the would-be fighter to the ground a few feet away.  
  
Neither of the grounded youkai moved.  
  
At the downfall of two of their comrades, three of the other demons decided it was time to stop playing with the humans, and dove for Sango from different directions.  
  
The youkai exterminator only saw two of them, each to one side of her. They came in much quicker than any of the demons had before, preventing her from having the time to swing Hiraikotsu to ward them off. Instead, she held the boomerang above her head and ducked, rolling forward in preparation for springing back to her feet.  
  
She was out of their path, just barely, but as soon as she was standing and ready to spin around to face her opponents, she was thrown to the ground once more by something slamming into her from behind.  
  
She recognized the purple fabric of Miroku's robes as he rolled one way and she rolled the other to avoid grasping claws. She heard the clanking of sharp nails against his staff as she herself blocked another attack with Hiraikotsu.  
  
She again rolled to the side, this time towards the monk, quickly gaining her footing and swinging the bone boomerang at the demon hovering over him.  
As she turned away to confront another enemy, several Shippos suddenly appeared a few feet to her right. The kitsune had apparently either been thrown by Miroku's sudden dive towards her, or had guessed the monk's intent and had jumped from his perch.  
  
The many kitsunes led most of the attacking demons away on a chase, though the real Shippo rushed to where Miroku still lay on the ground.  
  
Sango didn't realize the monk had yet to get up as she swatted away yet another winged youkai and heard him curse behind her. The demon came at her again, and she performed a maneuver similar to the one that had allowed her to take the female demon out earlier.  
  
She dared a glance over her shoulder after confirming that the youkai was not getting up right away, and saw Miroku pushing himself to his feet, Shippo looking at him worriedly.  
  
"H-houshi-sama!" Sango gasped as she noticed the reason for the young kitsune's distress. Four deep gashes ran from Miroku's right shoulder almost to his left hip. The monk turned as she made to move towards him to check the extent of his injuries.  
  
"Sango! Behind you!" he yelled, wincing as he leaned somewhat on his staff.  
  
She spun quickly, bringing Hiraikotsu up to block the incoming blow, realizing that their attackers had returned after apparently giving up on the illusionary kitsunes.  
  
'If only Shippo's magic would last just the slightest bit longer...' she thought as she took several steps backward.  
  
"Damn it!" she heard Miroku mutter under his breath from just behind her.  
  
They were once again ringed in, and this time, several of the demons held weapons-- tree limbs and a few crudely fashioned blades.  
  
'It was hard enough before!' Sango thought, eyes widening as she stood back-to-back with Miroku. 'What are we supposed to do now?'  
  
"Sango, do you have one of those smoking demon-exorcisers on you?"  
  
Miroku's strained voice startled her as she waited, on edge, for one of the demons to attack. "W-what?" she asked on an almost squeak.  
  
"One of those demon-repelling smoking things you use to get demons out of houses? Do you have one?"  
  
"Um, yes, but, they're not--"  
  
"Good. Then please do not take this the wrong way."  
  
Seconds after that cryptic comment, Miroku suddenly shifted behind her, reaching around her side and under the edge of her belt. His questing fingers were gone before she could truly register what he'd done. She faintly heard Shippo mutter, "kitsune-bi!" and then the world exploded in smoke.  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
Maruku had been dealing with many of the demons, himself. As the group who followed Ataru was mostly made up of rebels and those being punished for their crimes, many of them had lined up to take him on in a fight, believing themselves to be tougher now than they had been before, and uncaring of the consequences of harming a high-ranking hunter since they were already outcasts. For reasons unknown to the windwalker, they tended to attack in pairs, but never in larger groups.  
  
Most of those who chose to fight him were dark-winged like himself, and he recognized many of them as Shiori's kin. His eyes narrowed as he realized several light-winged youkai, not scruffy-looking criminals but those who followed Ataru due to their belief that their tribe was superior to Maruku's, had gathered around to watch.  
  
He fended most of his opponents off fairly easily-- they tended to be predictable when one knew how to read their moves. It was almost comical how few of their blows actually managed to come somewhat close to their intended target.  
  
Until he realized that they weren't really trying. Oh, some of them were trying fairly hard to hurt him, but he was the better fighter. Many of them were putting up the appearance of actually moving into combat, only to allow him to block their fists and claws with little effort.  
  
If he and Inuyasha had been able to compare notes, they might have come to the conclusion that something was out of place.  
  
The light-winged youkai observing the skirmishes didn't notice how easily Maruku was winning. They merely laughed at the many rounds of defeat the other demons were going through.  
  
In fact, it was odd that none of his opponents turned on those mocking them from the sidelines. He began to notice the fury in many of the faces of around him, as if they were contemplating doing such a thing, but were holding themselves back for reasons only they were aware of.  
  
The jeers grew louder as Maruku flipped the next challenger over by the arm, so that the youkai landed flat on its back on the ground.  
  
Though the wind had been knocked from the demon's lungs, Maruku caught the glare being directed his way, as if the attacker was saying, "I'll get you for that later, when this is over."  
  
Or perhaps it was more of an, "I know what's going on, and that wasn't supposed to happen, you jerk. I went easy on you, after all."  
  
He couldn't quite tell, through the pain in the youkai's eyes, whether it was more of a threat or a reprimand.  
  
But he didn't have time to contemplate the thought as the next combatant came at him.  
  
Several moments and three more downed youkai later, he was able to pause and catch his breath.  
  
But just as he did, a foul-smelling odor made him cough, along with all the youkai around him. The air was abruptly filled with dense smoke, or dust, obstructing his view of most of those surrounding him.  
  
He held his breath and pushed through the small crowd, hoping to find at least one of his traveling companions before they would be attacked once more.  
  
He'd only gone a few steps, coughing and gagging along the way, when he heard a faint, yet unmistakable and welcome voice in his mind.  
  
-Brother, I heard you calling me-  
------------------------------------------  
  
Of course, Inuyasha should have known he wouldn't make it to the wooden building without being detained, especially when he'd been pushed away from it by the demons he'd fought earlier. Luck had not been with him since he and the others arrived at the compound. But he'd had to try once more, no matter how low his chances were.  
  
Two light-winged youkai, males much stronger-looking than most of the demons he'd already fought, descended to the ground a few feet in front of him as he ran towards the wooden structure.  
  
He didn't bother to slow down-- they'd probably jump out of the way before he could manage to strike one or the other. At least he could count on the winged demons to be predictable, he thought as they did just that.  
  
He knew they'd keep coming at him, but he was determined to make it as close to the building as possible. So he kept going, waiting for them to catch up.  
  
They landed in front of him once more after he'd only gone a few steps.  
  
His patience ran out.  
With a snarl, Inuyasha focused on the one to the right. He drew his claws back, ready to strike as soon as he got in range.  
  
The winged demon anticipated his move, but he still managed to get a good swipe down his opponent's leg before it got far enough away.  
  
The second one danced away as he turned in its direction. He'd stepped forward, ready to pursue the youkai, but, with the faintest hint of Shippo calling "Kitsune-bi!" the world was suddenly blocked out by thick smoke.  
  
He put his sleeve over his nose, coughing at the scent he recognized as Sango's demon-repellent.  
  
He didn't question what had happened, and he ignored the scent as best he could. He didn't have the time to waste. He now had the advantage. He could easily make it into the structure before any of the demons knew what he'd done.  
  
He continued on his way, at an almost-walk so as not to alert the other youkai to his determined movements--let them think he was trying to escape or find his friends.  
  
His eyes watered, obscuring his vision. But he knew what direction the structure had been in, and he kept moving.  
  
Faint coughing that sounded vaguely familiar came from a few feet in front of him. The smoke had begun to clear with a faint breeze, but he still couldn't see well through the tears clouding his gaze.  
  
He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and looked up.  
  
He almost thought it was a trick of the light through the remaining smoke.  
  
Or maybe he was just hallucinating from whatever anti-youkai herbs were in the bombs Sango used.  
  
Was it really--  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
Shippo's yell spurred him into running forward.  
  
"Inuyasha, look out!"  
  
The hanyou barely dodged the blow aimed straight for his head. Apparently he'd been standing still for just a moment too long, and Sango's warning allowed him to duck just in time. He swiped at his opponent's midsection as he pivoted away, eyes narrowed on the winged demon as it jumped back.  
  
Kagome was alive and all right, and she had apparently found Morihiko, judging from the look of the windwalker riding on Kirara with her.  
  
And Inuyasha was seriously ticked off at the demon who decided to get in his way.  
  
He cracked his knuckles and went after the youkai, springing into the air when it leaped off the ground. He took a swipe and ended up with a handful of feathers.  
  
The demon landed once again as its flight was disrupted. But the hanyou was right behind.  
  
Before his opponent could attempt to take off, Inuyasha grabbed its robes with both hands and flung it through the opposite side of the fence from where he'd made a hole earlier.  
  
As if they were eager to meet the same fate, two other light-winged youkai, one of them the same one he'd caught in the leg, appeared in front of him.  
  
With a devilish grin, he granted their wish.  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
Somewhere on the other side of the compound, near Maruku, one of the dark-winged youkai turned to its neighbor and tapped the light-winged demon on the shoulder. The light-winged one still had a bit of grit in its eyes from the smoke, and barely saw the fist coming at him before it hit him full in the face.  
  
As if that had been the predestined signal, the battlefield exploded into utter chaos.  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
A/N: Woo-hoo! Reunion time! Well, I hope this was a decent bit of battle. It's really hard to come up with fighting scenes, especially when I try not to use the same major moves again. I kindof got inventive there with Sango's weapons. I haven't seen her use the smoke bombs too much, but I remember there being at least once where they were smoking a youkai out of a house. So, I assumed the herbs or whatever they're made out of needed to be on fire or heated at lesat. So, add Shippo's foxfire, and... poof! Literally. Of course, foxfire isn't just normal fire...  
  
And I'm sorry it's another cliff-hanger. But I promise things are going to be wrapped up soon! As long as my schoolwork and work-work cooperates! 


	34. Nothing Lost, Nothing Gained

Sorry, guys! I had said this one would be out a heck of a lot faster, but it turned out to be the hardest chapter to write! I rewrote several parts two or three times, just to get it to turn out the way I wanted it to, or at least closer to it. I also had to wait a bit for my beta to have time to read it, too. So I hope you're not too disappointed. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all those who read, and especially to those who review! You guys keep me motivated (I know it doesn't look like it) but it seems I get a nice little message just when I'm feeling like giving up on this thing. So please, please keep them coming! I promise I will finish this!

I can't believe it's been over a year now since I updated... Cross your fingers I can get back on track and finish this-- I keep getting ideas for totally unrelated things! If I could get any of them finished, I'd have something else to post at least, heh.

I have been periodically updating my user page, so you can always check that, in the event that I don't update for a while again. I really want this fic done, so we'll see if, now that I have a new job and am living more on my own, I'll get more time to sit and write. I hope so—I want the time. But it seems my writing muse won't always cooperate.

This chapter is, really belatedly, dedicated to Kristine Batey, aka Bachan. I didn't know her that well at all, but I felt she contributed a lot to the Inuyasha community and she will be greatly missed.

------------------------------------------

Sight Unseen

Chapter 34: Nothing Lost, Nothing Gained

Kagome was thankful Kirara wasn't traveling through the air as she felt the big cat move under her. She hadn't really thought she'd need to ride as well, but Morihiko was still rather unsteady. It was easier for her to ride and help hold him up than it was for her to walk and hope he'd always fall to whichever side she was on.

The drugs used on him must have been fairly powerful for him to take so long recovering-- Inuyasha always seemed to regain his strength so fast. But then again, she'd never seen the hanyou drugged by anything other than powerful scents. Perhaps what Morihiko had been given was some stronger version of whatever herbs Sango employed to help smoke out or subdue demons. Or maybe even just a much higher dose than the demon exterminator normally used.

She wished she knew more about such things-- Kaede and Sango had taught her little bits here and there, but she was still a long way away from being familiar with even half of what each of the other women knew. Maybe she should have paid more attention to her grandfather and his attempts at teaching her the ways of the caretakers of the shrine. Or maybe even listened to Houjo when he explained the healing properties of the gifts Houjo brought her when she returned to school after one of her trips to the past.

A wry half smile tilted the corner of her mouth at the thought, only to be disrupted seconds later by the gasp that escaped her lips.

Her fingers clenched in Kirara's fur as the fire cat's gait shifted slightly, bringing with it the clinking shift of the chains pooled in front of Morihiko, indicating a small dip in the floor. She had to carefully shift her own weight to keep herself upright, which was no small feat while she had one arm around the windwalker's waist.

Your grip is a bit tight, priestess.

"Sorry," Kagome muttered, concentrating on shifting her arm once again.

It was the third time he had complained in what she thought had to be only as many minutes. It was beginning to make her wonder how Lady Tamaeri could put up with him. But she also had to remember that he was in a bad state at the moment, and very resentful of needing anyone else, let alone a human, to help him.

Inuyasha was the same way, and she still put up with him, didn't she?

Luckily, it was usually the hanyou's pride that was bruised, not his body, but he still ended up complaining, or even lashing out at someone else, when he was trying to hide just what a fool he knew he'd been. She knew he didn't always realize what was coming out of his mouth before it was said and the damage was done. And she knew he was sorry afterwards, even when he put up a front and refused to apologize. Knowing that didn't always make it hurt any less, but it did help her to eventually forgive him.

Especially when he did something exceptionally sweet, or at least exceptionally sweet for Inuyasha. He never brought her flowers or other little gifts. And he rarely touched her in any sort of affectionate way. But he was always saving her from danger, and worrying about her health and safety before his own (though he complained about her being a weak, fragile human at the same time), and carting her around, and bringing things to her at school when she forgot them in her hurry to get back to her studies. And then, of course, she had to take into account his guiding her around since she lost her sight, and his apologizing, and then keeping her in his lap to keep her warm while they were at the windwalker's festival... and then kissing her...

He had kissed her, hadn't he?

Her.

Not Kikyou.

And he hadn't been under any sort of spell, nor had he thought she was the reincarnated priestess at the time.

He'd kissed her, and--

No! She didn't have time to think of that now. She had to get herself and Morihiko to safety, and somehow find the others.

Involuntarily, her arm clenched tighter around Morihiko. Her heart rate sped up as she realized she hadn't been paying enough attention. The windwalker could have slipped to the floor during the space of time she'd been daydreaming, and she wouldn't have known!

Priestess--

The annoyed voice in her mind faded soon after the word. Whatever it was the windwalker had to say was covered by his own hoarse, violent coughing. The chains rustled once again as he apparently moved to cover his mouth with one hand.

A few seconds later, the faintest breeze brought what she thought was a familiar whiff of something herbal, and quite pungent. It clung in her throat no matter how much she swallowed and coughed. And beneath her legs, she felt Kirara twitch as if she, too, were finding it hard to breathe with whatever was in the air.

What is ... this awful scent?

"I don't... I don't know," Kagome managed to choke out. It was all she could do to attempt to stop the coughs, but nothing worked. And she feared they were going to draw quite a bit of attention with all the noise, if they weren't doing so already. She hoped Morihiko would at least warn her if that were the case, however.

She again felt the tiniest movement of air against her legs, and guessed they must be close to an exit of some sort.

Her ears strained to pick up any sound beyond her own coughing and the windwalker's, and she wished, not for the first time since being captured by Shiori, that she had hearing as good as Inuyasha's. The half dog demon would surely have coped with being blind far better than she was able, with his superior sense of hearing and smell. In fact he had proved he was much better suited to the loss of one of his senses, hadn't he? When he learned to first truly use the Kaze no Kizu, he'd been blinded by his opponent's poison, and that was how he'd been able to smell the wound of the wind. And he'd also told her how acutely he missed his youkai senses in his human form. But the loss of his superior awareness didn't stop him from fighting as if he had his powers. The thought would have annoyed her if she hadn't been so worried about other demons whose hearing was almost as good, if not the same, as the hanyou's.

No, she didn't have his keen senses, nor would she gain them any time in the near future.

Fortunately, once her own coughing fit died down a bit, she was able to pick up several other noises.

Apparently whatever was in the air was causing others to cough as well, for she heard intermittent clearing of throats. Then there were numerous thumps, grunts, and yells, and once the rather loud sound of splintering wood.

What was going on?

A battle? If so, who were the participants?

Surely she would hear familiar battle cries, like Sango throwing Hiraikotsu, or Miroku using his ofuda, if her friends were involved. Although their silence didn't necessarily mean anything, either.

From the sound of things, there were many beings taking part in the fight.

But why didn't Morihiko--

Something in the air is making it difficult to see.

Well that answered her question, before she'd even finished it! Kagome thought, wondering if the windwalker had somehow read her mind, or if his comment just happened to be placed at the right time.

It is hard to miss something that blatant.

Kagome wasn't sure at first how to respond to the remark. The faint thread of arrogance and scorn in his voice made her angry, yet it took a few seconds for the actual words to sink in. If he'd been able to somehow hear her thoughts just a moment ago, who knew what else he'd been privy to. Had she been thinking of anything embarrassing? Before she'd been listening to the outside noises, she had been reflecting on--

Why a demon, even only half of one, would cavort with a human is entirely beyond my understanding. Surely you can save such thoughts for another time, preferably when we have parted ways.

He had heard her! Kagome felt her cheeks heat in mortification, wanting nothing more than to disappear and leave him to his own devices. "I... You... Well, excuse me!" she stammered indignantly, coughing once again at the sharp inhalation of air. "You didn't have to listen!"

I do not expect a human to know how to keep her thoughts hidden.

"Well, thanks for that! I'm sorry if this poor human doesn't understand the ways of your kind! I suppose it didn't occur to you to let me know this before I embarrassed myself?" Angrily she swiped at the moisture pooling in her eyes from the renewed coughing fit.

I was trying hard to ignore your voice and concentrate on being your eyes.

"I..." Once again, she was at a loss for words. What was she to say to that, when she knew he was in the right? This was not the time for petty bickering, not when they were ensconced in the middle of enemy territory. She hadn't been doing her part. And she did need his help. "I'm sorry," she murmured, running her fingers through Kirara's fur in an attempt to soothe her own frazzled nerves. "I realize we need to work together at this point, so I'll try to keep my thoughts focused on the task at hand."

Thank you, Priestess.

She'd been half-expecting some sort of grunt, like Inuyasha's usual noncommittal "Keh", as a response. At least Morihiko was a bit more polite, even if the attitude was similar.

Perhaps this Inuyasha would benefit from a new set of manners.

"Ah... yes, he would," Kagome agreed, biting her lip and letting a small self-conscious laugh escape. She was feeling extremely awkward, now that she knew he could pick up her thoughts so easily. "Could you, um, tell me... if there's any way I could... not always let you know what I'm thinking?"

He didn't answer right away, and she grew more anxious as she felt the seconds ticking by. He was probably thinking how stupid humans were, to not understand how to control their own thoughts.

"Uh, you know, just... forget I--"

I do not know, he answered before she could finish her muttered request, the faintest hint of puzzlement in his voice. You are not of our kind, and the connection is a difficult thing to explain.

Her response was a rather intelligent "Oh."

This situation is beyond my understanding. I have never before encountered a human, yet I could hear you when I awakened.

"Wait. Does that mean others can hear me as well?" Kagome's fingers tightened on the windwalker's arm in growing alarm.

Surely we would have been discovered sooner by the racket you make when speaking in the way of humans.

"Hey!"

But I believe we would not have made it this far if your mindvoice was being heard by others.

Kagome set her jaw and counted to ten, allowing the breath she'd drawn in to rush out with a faint whistling sound.

This was not the time to be fighting, as she'd just told Morihiko mere moments ago. They needed to find a way to get back to her friends, and then back to the windwalker's family.

For a human, your claws can still do damage.

"Huh?"

"Kagome!"

Kagome sucked in a breath, gagging once more as her now fairly dry throat protested the intake. She pulled the hand holding onto the winged youkai away from his arm and brought it up to cover her mouth. Even if she had been able to see, the coughing would have kept her from noticing how the muscles flexed in his forearm when she let go.

"Kagome!"

The other humans are here?

Kagome barely registered Morihiko's words.

Had she heard right? She thought someone had called her name, and it wasn't the windwalker.

She waited, trying to still the spasms of her throat so she could listen and find out if her mind was merely playing tricks on her.

"Kagome!"

This time, the voice was much stronger and louder, as if the speaker were closer to her. High-pitched and child like. It sounded like--

"Shippo?"

"Kagome! You're all right!" the kitsune cried, his voice carrying to her ears as if he were standing right next to her, though his words were the tiniest bit muffled.

A fox child? What do you mean by bringing a kitsune with you?

Morihiko's mind-voice was slightly stronger, though it seemed his rising ire was the most likely cause of the shift in his energy level. For now, though, Kagome ignored him and focused on Shippo.

"I'm fine, Shippo, but-- what about the others?" She'd had to pause to cough and swallow once again, but she was able to take a couple of deep breaths without further aggravating her throat.

"I was with Sango and Miroku, and Miroku was--"

How many have you brought with you?

"What?" Kagome asked, unable to fully understand either speaker, but neither seemed to hear her as they both continued on as if she hadn't spoken.

"--hurt. And Inuyasha was off fighting some demons, and so was Maruku--"

And how do they all know my brother?

"Damn it, you feathered freak, get out of my way!"

Kagome completely lost what either of the two demons near her had said as her ears swiftly focused on another, much more welcome voice.

"Inu--"

"Kagome!"

She let go of Morihiko and attempted to shift both legs to one side so she could slide down from Kirara's back, but ended up nearly toppling herself off of the firecat's rear end. Luckily a pair of strong arms caught her before she could land on the ground.

She barely waited for Inuyasha to pull her off of Kirara before she turned in his arms and reached both hands up to his face. She felt his mouth moving under her fingers just as she spoke.

"Inuyasha are you okay?"

"Kagome, are you all right?"

Kagome could feel her cheeks heating slightly as she let out a tiny self-conscious laugh and nearly jerked her hands away from the hanyou's cheeks. "I'm fine," she responded quietly, finally settling on resting her hands on his arms. "I knew you were coming."

"Keh. Like they could stop me."

The comment made her heart skip a beat, but she tried to ignore it. "Uh, I f-found Lord Morihiko," she stuttered awkwardly, gesturing with one hand in the direction she thought she'd come from.

Inuyasha looked up and met the windwalker's narrowed gaze, remaining silent as he sized up the dark-winged youkai. Morihiko had definitely seen better days, he thought, eyeing the dirt that covered skin, hair, and feathers. The crude chains would not have been a deterrent to a healthy demon-- they weren't even attached properly to any sort of cuff. They were merely wrapped around and tied together with a strong piece of rope. In the youkai's weakened state, however, they had apparently done their job, judging from the marks on his wrists and ankles.

Kagome wasn't sure what was going on, and the stretched out silence began to grate on her nerves. So she did the one thing that came naturally, hoping to overcome the awkward moment.

"So you are all right, Inuyasha? Like I said, I found Lord Morihiko, as you can see. Well I'm sure you can see that," she rambled, her voice quieting a bit as she seemed almost to be mumbling to herself, then picking up volume as she continued. "I'm glad you're here, though. Where are the others? Are they all right? This would be so much easier if I could see them for myself. But it was Shiori who kidnapped me. And she put me inside some kind of wooden... building, and I ended up practically tripping over Lord Morihiko. And then Kirara showed up, so I knew you and the others had to be close, and then Lord Morihiko woke up and we somehow managed to get out of there, but I was so afraid someone was going to hear us and find us before you came and then I wouldn't know what to do since I-"

"Shiori brought you to him?" Inuyasha interrupted, his brows knitting together in confusion. "Why would she do that?"

"Well, I don't know, Inuyasha," Kagome shrugged. "She just told me to get Lord Morihiko out of there. That we were going to help her-"

"Help her do what?"

"Would you let me finish? What is it with you and interrupting me?"

"Kagome..." he muttered in a warning tone.

"Sheesh. Calm down, Inuyasha. She told me that we were going to help her beat Ataru."

"Why the hell should we do that? Besides the fact that that bird-brain is irritating, we came here to--"

"You carry... Shikon shards."

Inuyasha's head whipped around, his mouth open as if ready to finish his sentence. The unfamiliar, hoarse voice had come from the windwalker still sitting astride Kirara.

Morihiko attempted to say something else, though it was cut off by a harsh cough.

"How do you know that?" Inuyasha asked, his amber gaze narrowing on the winged youkai as his fingers tightened on Kagome's arms and he began to shift her aside.

Morihiko nodded towards Kagome, still unable to speak.

Inuyasha frowned down at the girl beside him. Her unseeing eyes were fixed somewhere on a point past his shoulder. "Kagome, you told him we-- Damn it!"

He grabbed Kagome and threw them both to the ground, rolling several times.

"Inu--sha?" she questioned, coughing on the dust stirred up by his actions.

"Stay down!" he ordered, moving away and swinging his head around in search of their attacker. The light-winged demon rested only a few feet above him, crouched on the roof of the wooden structure like some misplaced gargoyle. Its eyes followed some point past the hanyou, giving him the advantage as he leapt directly into its line of sight, claws extended.

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Kagome was wise enough to do as Inuyasha said, but she knew she could be trampled if she stayed where she was. But she didn't know which way to go.

"Kagome! Over here!" she heard Shippo call, fairly close to her right. It was followed by the soft sound of his small feet running across the dirt.

"Kagome, come on this way!" the kitsune urged. He grabbed her hand and started to pull as she was pushing herself to her knees.

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What Inuyasha failed to notice were the dozen or so other youkai waiting on the far side of the roof. And by the time he was high enough to see them, it was too late.

His hesitation cost him dearly. The demon he'd been after grabbed his arm and used his own momentum to send him smashing through the roof.

The hard ground knocked the wind out of him, but his faster-than-human recovery rate had him springing back through the splintery hole seconds later.

He was just in time to hear Kagome shriek and see her hoisted in the air by one ankle. "Inuyashaaaa!" she cried, arms flailing in an attempt to find purchase on something.

"Hiraikotsu!"

Sango's battle cry was followed by the loud swish of her bone boomerang as it swooped through the mass of youkai, scattering them in every direction.

Inuyasha followed the one with Kagome, leaping after him and narrowly missing with each swipe of his claws. "Damn it, let her go!"

"As you wish!" The light-winged demon grinned maniacally back over his shoulder. Inuyasha watched as the demon's fingers slowly opened, leaving Kagome's ankle free of their hold.

"Kyaaaa!"

"Kagome!"

The youkai flew back in the other direction as Inuyasha threw himself forward, catching Kagome and skidding across the ground with her in his arms.

"Inuyasha! The shards!"

At Sango's yell, the hanyou's eyes went wide and his gaze flew to the youkai gathering once more on the roof.

Sunlight glinted off the familiar broken chain as it dangled from a clawed fist.


End file.
